Goldie Brunner

MOUNT HOREB - Goldie Sidonia Gammeter Brunner, age 88, moved on to heaven on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, to join her parents, nine siblings, two grandsons and one great-granddaughter. Her husband is Donald Brunner of Mount Horeb. Goldie was born on March 22, 1933, to Gottlieb and Barbara (Aliesch) Gammeter. Her parents immigrated from Switzerland in the early 1900s. Goldie was the fourth youngest of 13 children. Her father was a cheesemaker and later farmed near Mount Vernon. She graduated from Mount Horeb High School in 1951 and went to work for the State of Wisconsin. As a young woman Goldie loved to dance. One Saturday night at Turner Hall in Madison she was with her best friend, Louann, when they met two young boys, Don and Ray. Don said to Ray, “You ask the tall one to dance, and I’ll ask the short, cute one.” The short one was Goldie and her and Don danced together for 68 years. They were married at St. James Catholic Church in Vermont, Wis., on Aug. 19, 1953. The couple lived in Pine Bluff for many years, where they raised their seven children. They then moved to Mount Horeb. She was a long-time member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pine Bluff and later St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Mount Horeb. Around 1975, after all the kids were in school she went back to work, this time at CUNA Mutual in Madison. She enjoyed working there and retired in 1993. The couple built a new house in 1976 in Mount Horeb. When Don retired, the couple bought a condo in Scottsdale, Ariz., and spent many enjoyable winters there. Goldie was an excellent cook and baker, best known for her tasty chocolate chip cookies, which she happily shared with her kids, grandkids, neighbors, postmen and others. She canned many fruits and vegetables from her large gardens to provide for her family. She loved to knit and crochet, merrily giving a baby blanket to each of her grandchildren. She saved her family lots of money by giving haircuts to her kids and grandkids. For the grandkids, she would give them a 50-cent piece if they didn’t cry when she cut their hair. (Being a softy, even if they did cry, she would still give up the 50-cent piece). Goldie was all about her family and attended her children’s and grandchildren’s school and sporting events rain or shine. The family celebrated the couple’s 45th, 55th and 60th wedding anniversaries together in Colorado and Missouri. To celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, they traveled to Italy, with one of the highlights a personal meeting with Pope John Paul II. (OK, maybe it was just the Pope driving by in the Popemobile a mere 10 feet away). One of the priests in the Vatican said a Mass in their honor for their big day. Goldie and Don had a truck and fifth-wheel trailer, which they drove all over the country, with the highlight being a trip to Alaska on the Al-Can Highway. Goldie is survived by her husband, Donald Brunner; children, Donald Brunner Jr. (Mag), Dennis Brunner (Dixie), Diane Buechner (Jeff), Darlene Cunneen (Mark), Denise Lehner (Hans, deceased), Deb Fargo (Tim) and Gail Fearing (Bruce); 15 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; siblings Wilbert Gammeter (Yvonne, deceased), Dorothy Miller (Leo) and Frieda Haesler (John). She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, William Gammeter, Helen Stensby, John Gammeter, Edwin Gammeter, Mildred Syverud, Lester Gammeter, Ruby Koenig, Donald Gammeter and Norris Gammeter; grandsons, Derek Brunner and Neal Fargo; and great-granddaughter Brielle Lang. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 109 S. Sixth St., Mount Horeb, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, with Father Chahm Gahng presiding. Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON CAMACHO MOUNT HOREB FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 500 N. Eighth St., Mount Horeb, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. The family would like to thank the wonderful home caregivers, the staff at Inglehaven, and the amazing Agrace HospiceCare team for their love and support. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com . Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb Funeral & Cremation Care 500 N. Eighth St. (608) 437-5077