Carroll Bruun

A celebration of life for Carroll Bruun was held on Friday, November 4, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Winner United Methodist Church in Winner, SD. Mason Funeral Home of Winner, SD, was in charge of arrangements. Carroll Helmer Bruun was born on February 11, 1938, to Helmer and Mae (Nelson) Bruun. Helmer came to America from Tarm, Denmark, and met Mae, who was from Reliance, SD. Carroll was born in Colome, SD, and was baptized September 21, 1941, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Dallas, SD. He grew up on the family farm southwest of Dallas with two sisters, Ginny and Marlene. Carroll started school at Lincoln Country School. He graduated from Gregory High School in 1955. During his high school years, he lived with the Hoffie family in Gregory while working at Louie’s Grocery. Highlights of this time were playing American Legion baseball and winning backto- back state championships in 1954 and 1955. Carroll was a pitcher and center fielder.

Carroll met Janet Schramm in 1951. The summer before Carroll’s junior year (1953), they started dating and were later engaged on May 21, 1956. In the fall of 1956, Carroll went to Huntington Park, CA, to work for General Motors on a car assembly line. In January, Janet headed to Los Angeles, CA, to work at a bank. In May of 1957, Carroll wanted to move back to farm with his dad, so he and Janet headed back to South Dakota. One year to the day after getting engaged, they broke off their engagement. Over the next seven years, their paths crossed about once a year.

For the next few years, Carroll farmed and worked at a feed mill. In 1962, Carroll started farming full-time and entered the dairy business in 1963. In July of 1963, Janet was home from her teaching job in Rapid City, SD. Second engagement was in September of 1963, and they were married on February 22, 1964. Carroll continued to farm, and Janet started her teaching career in Winner, SD. In the early years of their marriage, special twins, Donnie and Ronnie Matthews (neighbor boys to Howard and Irene Schramm), started making frequent trips to the farm on weekends. They eventually stayed and became part of the family. Johnyne Carol was born on December 16, 1968; Jacey Jane on December 6, 1973; and Jad Howard on February 13, 1975. During their early years of marriage, Carroll enjoyed traveling to Denmark to visit his Bruun relatives. He enjoyed their return trips to visit as well.

Carroll retired from the farm in 2005. Carroll and Jad completely rebuilt the old farmhouse; Carroll and Janet lived in that house for many years during their retirement before moving back to town full-time. Carroll enjoyed going to coffee at Jono’s in Gregory and McDonalds in Winner. He and Janet enjoyed following their six grandkids in all of their activities; they also enjoyed taking as many trips as they could, especially to Branson, MO. Spending time in Brookings while attending SDSU basketball games and staying in Parker, which became their second home, were highlights of their lives. Fondest memories were having all six grandkids together at the farm, and most recently receiving visits from new great-granddaughter, Murphy.

Carroll Bruun, 84, of Winner, SD, passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at the Winner Regional Healthcare Center.

Carroll is survived by his wife Janet of Winner; daughter Johnyne (Brad) Horstman of Winner, SD; daughter Jacey (Dale) Peters of Parker, SD; and son Jad (Suny) Bruun of Dallas, SD; grandchildren: Zachary (Tayler) Horstman of Mitchell, SD; Jayden Bruun of Spearfish, SD; Kylie (Jayd) VanDerWerff of Gregory, SD; Kelby Peters of Sioux Falls, SD; Joren Bruun of Dallas, SD; and Karley Peters of Parker, SD; one great-granddaughter; sister Marlene (Tom) Hansen of Canyon Lake, TX; brother-in-law Chuck Schramm of Sioux Falls, SD; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Carroll was preceded in death by his parents Helmer and Mae Bruun; in-laws Howard and Irene (G’ma Chic) Schramm; sister Ginny Canon; brothers-in-law Doyle Robertson and Jay Canon; nephew Brad Robertson and niece Debbie Robertson.