Elvis “Willard” Bruner, age 83, a resident of Fort Scott, KS, went to be with the Lord on Friday, July 20, 2018.
He was born on October 4, 1934, on his parent’s farm near Mapleton, KS, the son of Walter Eberly Bruner and Agnes (Mackie) Bruner. He married Darla Manderscheid on June 4, 1960, in Fredonia, KS.
He was a member of the Church of Christ.
Willard was the fifth of nine children.
He began helping his dad with farm work at a young age and by the age of 8, he was driving horses on a forklift to pull hay into the hay barns. By the age of 12, his dad shifted to using a tractor for farm work. They also raised cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens, and ducks. They grew a large garden and his mother canned food.
Willard was a true country boy and he enjoyed hunting squirrels and rabbits, fishing and swimming. He went to school in Blue Mound, KS, and enjoyed playing basketball, football, and track. He worked on his dad’s farm until he was 22. He then went to work on the Kansas Turnpike for eight weeks and earned enough money to buy his first car, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air.
Willard served in the Army from 1957 to 1959. He received mechanic and machinery training and was in the Post Engineers. While in the Army, he was stationed in France.
After serving in the Army, he returned to farming with his dad. In 1960, Willard and Darla moved to a farm near Mound City and he farmed with his dad and brother.
They moved to their current residence in Fort Scott in 1962, where they raised their children, Donna, Sharon, and Ernest. There, he farmed, raised cattle and hogs, gardened and worked at various jobs in and around Fort Scott.
After retirement, he enjoyed working on small engines, lawn mowers, and gardening. However, his greatest joy came from his family and serving the Lord. He was always smiling and never knew a stranger.
Survivors include his wife Darla of the home; two daughters, Donna Graham and husband William, Joplin, MO, and Sharon Bruner, Roeland Park, KS; a son, Ernest Bruner and wife Stephanie, Overland Park, KS; two sisters, Venita Miller, Garnett, KS, and Marilyn Bruner, Ft. Scott; six grandchildren, Lindsay Johnson, Cassandra Bailey, Jennifer Bruner, Khaled Graham, Donovan Graham, and Shanece Grimm; seven great-grandchildren and two on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews
. He was preceded in death by five sisters, Pauline Seitz, Lorraine Wilcox, Leora Ross, Shirley Ball, and an infant; two brothers, Virgil and Joseph Bruner; and his parents.
Jim Herman will conduct funeral services at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 25, 2018, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Tuesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Willard Bruner Memorial Fund and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.