Steven Brunner

Brunner, Steven M., age 71,

Eagle Scout, 50+ year member of DeMolay, and former member of the North Lake Yacht Club, died peacefully at home on February 26, 2025, under hospice care in Oro Valley, Arizona, with his devoted wife, Christine, by his side.

Steve was born in Milwaukee on September 15, 1953, the only child of Spencer and Ruth (nee Skrzypczak) Brunner. He grew up on Van Norman St. and attended Burdick and Whitier Elementary, Fritsche Middle, and Bay View High schools, graduating from the latter in 1971. Steve was a Boy Scout, and his mother served as Den Mother for his Cub Scout Troop. He joined DeMolay, Bay View Chapter, on February 26, 1968. His grandfather, Frank, was a member of the Fraternal Order of Freemasons. Frank hand built his and Flora’s home on Clearwater Dr. on North Lake, and later Spence, Ruth and Steve would live in the home. Steve’s father, Spence, was a sailor and an original founding member of the North Lake Yacht club in 1953. Steve and his father sailed in regattas on the many lakes in Lake Country, winning several trophies. While in high school, Steve participated in the Political Affairs League, track, and marching band where he played alto clarinet and was drum major. Steve then attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he would earn his Bachelor’s degree in Business. He worked for Elan and First Wisconsin Bank while in college and for a short time after.

Steve met Christine Tannis, 14 years his junior and who would become his third wife, on the Internet in 1995. She was living in Illinois at the time, and they began a long-distance relationship. He eventually he wore her down and convinced her to move in with him in his home in Milwaukee on June 1, 1996 (iykyk). The couple married in Waukesha on September 18, 1999. While Christine was Steve’s third wife, he was her second husband. They always joked that between meeting on the Internet, their age difference, and the number of marriages between them that their relationship would never last. They celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2024.

Because Christine was later in Steve’s life, she doesn’t know all the details of Steve’s past before meeting her, but she can say that Steve married the late Pam (nee Pisarzewicz) in Wisconsin in the late ‘70s and they divorced in October 1980. Steve and Pam traveled Europe together extensively either before or while they were married. Steve then married Teresa (nee Bechold) in Florida when she became pregnant with their son, Franklin, in 1981. They divorced in 1983. Christine will let those people and their families tell their stories as again she is not privy to a lot of that information. She offers her deepest sympathies and condolences to them for their loss as well.

In Florida, Steve was a sales person for Pacific Stereo. He also owned a tropical fish store, Aquarius Aquatics. He completed an Associates in Computer Science along the way. Steve moved back to Wisconsin in the ‘90s to be closer to his parents. He was very much the dutiful son in assisting them not with their snowbird travels to Florida, but he also helped his father with the tasks of taking care of the lake home. Steve worked for Americable as an installation tech, Payco American as a trainer, Titus and Nortel Networks as a project manager, and Jefferson Wells as a CISA certified IT risk auditor. Some of his Titus and JW clients included Joy Global, Froedtert Medical Center, Koss, and Aptar.

In the late ‘90s, Steve and Christine built a home in Ixonia, but as he had been laid off due to the dot com bust, they gave the home to the bank without ever getting to live in it. They had an apartment in Menomonee Falls for a couple of years, and then bought a condo in West Bend, where they lived until 2015. After Steve’s parents died (Ruth in 2012 and Spence in 2014), the couple moved to Oro Valley AZ, just north of Tucson.

Steve enjoyed travel, and he and Christine went to Myrtle Beach FL for their honeymoon, and Canada (Vancouver and Sudbury) and Aruba twice over the years. He liked going to national and state parks, and he also loved going to Las Vegas. Steve was also a lover of music, and he especially liked Staton Lanier, Jim Brickman, Manheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Steve had health challenges over the years, beginning with anxiety in 2009, and then a rare blood cancer, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), in 2010. Thankfully, his MDS was caught early, so he just needed routine blood tests to monitor. Steve was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in 2022. He gave up driving, let Christine take over the finances, and trusted her to help him in important decisions. In 2023, Steve was diagnosed with another rare blood cancer, polycythemia vera (PV), and he needed more frequent monitoring and treatment for anemia. In January of this year, Steve took a series of falls in the home causing a fracture in his lower spine and internal bleeding that unfortunately was unnoticed for a short time. They doctors were able to find one source of bleeding but not another, and Steve went home under hospice care.

Steve is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Christine of Oro Valley AZ; son, Franklin (Taylor); granddaughter, Spencer; cousin, Naomi McDowell of Green Bay; sister-in-law, Kerrin (Bill) Teigen of Eau Claire; nephew, Michael Teigen of Eau Claire; niece, Kaitlyn (Tryntaen) Hartman of Eau Claire; great-niece, Krystine Hartman of Eau Claire; and also by many other dear relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his aunt Geraldine (the late Ervin) Beck (nee Skrzypczak).

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 11AM at the Gardens of Stone Bank in Hartland, where Steve will be laid to rest with his parents. A private luncheon will immediately follow. Christine requests no flowers be sent but instead would appreciate memorials be directed to either to any youth musical charity of your choice or your local foodbank.

Christine would like to thank her neighbors in Sun City Oro Valley for all their love and support during Steve’s final days and after his death as well Marana Mortuary and Cemetery, Marana AZ, and Myrhum-Patten Funeral & Cremation Service, for assisting her in her needs regarding Steve’s cremation and services.