In 2011 Elmer and his wife Cynthia Vaughan moved to the Seattle area. His death on March 31, 2021 was very sudden and unexpected. Survived by his wife, a daughter, 2 brothers, 2 step daughters, 2 step sons, 5 grandchildren, one great-grandson, 5 step grandchildren and many nieces and nephews, Elmer leaves many good, good friends who will miss him.
Elmer started in the ministry as a very young teenager, and served many different Methodist churches in the Midwest. In his memoirs “My Life as an Itinerant Preacher”, Elmer described his life growing up in North Dakota, the various churches that he served and his personal life.
Humor was a big part of Elmer’s life, including many, many jokes. If he found a good joke, he was sure to pass it on to almost everyone he met. Prone to laugh at his own jokes, he would always include a hearty laugh and his whole body seemed to move with his laughter.
With a name like ‘Elmer Brunk’, he would deflect any comments about the name and carefully spell his last name. “Be sure to spell it with a ‘B’, and not a ‘D’ and then chuckle as he spelled out his last name. He received a letter from Rush Limbaugh a number of years ago. It was not a complimentary letter, and Rush really made fun of Elmer and his name.
Elmer also received jokes about his late wife’s name Cynthia, and then choosing to marry another Cynthia. Elmer is preceded in death by his late wife Cynthia Brunk, his son Layne, and his daughter Quincealea, and his brother Donald Brunk.
Because of Covid-19, a memorial service will be arranged with Edmonds United Methodist Church at a future date.
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