Donald Leon Brunner
Jan. 25, 1955 – Dec. 22, 2018
Donald (Donny) Leon
Brunner was born in
Minot, North Dakota on
January 25, 1955 to Tony
T and Grace Margaret
(Hennessey) Brunner and
died unexpectedly at a
Missoula, MT hospital on
December 22, 2018.
Though stricken with po-
lio at age three, Don spent
his life defeating all odds
and overcoming every
obstacle in his path. Don
graduated from Ann Carl-
son School in Jamestown,
ND and from Moorhead
Tech in Moorhead, MN.
He traveled to Meonstoke,
England and won a gold
medal with the US Olym-
pic wheelchair rugby
team. He worked as a
machinist and a carpenter
and eventually made his
home with the love of his
life, Diana Sue (Deats)
Brunner in Polson, MT.
Donny’s sense of humor
and infectious laugh will
be missed by all who
knew and therefore loved
him. He is survived by his
wife Diana Sue Brunner;
mother Grace Brunner;
sister Renee Brunner;
brother Rick Brunner;
aunts Sharon (Dick)
Shaefer and Dorothy
Anderson; stepsons Troy
(Liz) Ricciardi, Chester
(Mandi) Ricciardi, Daniel
(Jennifer) Ricciardi,
Nathan (Dandee) Ricciar-
di; step-grandchildren
Saren, Trista, Zoie, Iyla,
Scotty, Devin, Payton;
nieces Nescha (Matt) Lee,
Nicole Brunner, Shyla
(Ed) Bradshaw; great-
nieces and nephews Con-
nor, Jameson, Eric, Avery,
Natalie, Jacob, Evelyn;
and a number of cousins.
He is preceded in death
by his father Tony
Brunner; maternal grand-
parents Clarence and Effie
(Harris) Hennessey; pater-
nal grandparents Mike
and Barbara (Kuntz)
Brunner; and several
aunts, uncles, and
cousins. A celebration of
life and Christian
memorial service and
burial will take place in
June.