Louis Leroy Brunnemer passed away in Red Bluff on September 30, 2013 at the age of 95. He was born on February 9, 1918 in Formosa, Kansas to Charles and Elizabeth Adelaide Shineman Winter Brunnemer. He was preceded in death by his wife Thais and a son, Gary. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brothers Earl and Glenn and a sister Dorothy. Louis and his parents moved from Mankato, Kansas to Davis Creek, California in 1934. Louis claimed that on Thanksgiving Day of 1933 he and his parents harvested 160 acres of corn and ate all 22 ears for dinner that night. Louis attended and graduated from Alturas High School in 1936. He worked on the railroad, delivered fuel and drove dump truck in the pre-World War II years. He met his future wife, Thais Harvey, in late October 1941. They eloped to Minden, Nevada on November 21, 1941. He enlisted in the Army in January 1942, eventually volunteering for the Army Air Corps. After several months training, he was assigned to co-pilot a B-24 for the 8th Air Force, 491st Bomb Group, 853rd Squadron, arriving on D-Day. He flew 35 combat missions as a co-pilot and pilot. Following the war, he was the Standard Oil Distributor for Lakeview, Oregon where two of his sons were born, Craig and Gary. He then moved his family to Eureka, California to haul redwoods. His youngest son, Kevin, was born there. In 1954, the family moved to the Harvey property in Los Molinos where Louis both farmed and delivered fuel for Schafer Oil. In 1963, Louis was appointed Postmaster by President John F. Kennedy. He retired in 1981. Louis was well known in the Los Molinos area and served the community in numerous ways, including some that were never publicized. He swore his family to secrecy while taking food and firewood to local people he knew needed help. He was a member of the Tehama Lions Club for over 30 years. He and his wife held the first honorary memberships in the Los Molinos Volunteer Fire Department for contributions they made to help start the organization. Louis was also a well-known Master of Ceremonies at Postmaster Conventions, 8th Air Force Reunions and countless Tehama County functions. Upon retirement Louis and his wife traveled the United States and British Columbia extensively, often in conjunction with his many Master of Ceremonies tasks. They also spent numerous weeks in Davis Creek, California during the summer. Louis is survived by his two sons, Craig and Kevin (wife Cathy), 8 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. A brief graveside service will be held Friday, October 4th at 2:00 pm at Tehama Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any remembrance be made to Tehama Museum, P.O. Box 275, Tehama, Ca 96090.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5