Obituaries: Katherine Louise (Sandretto) Brunner (Nov. 24, 1908 – July 6, 2011)

Katherine “Katie” Brunner passed away the morning of July 6, 2011, from natural causes at her home near Crescent City, at the age of 102 years and 7 months. She was born on Nov. 24, 1908, to John and Angelina Sandretto, who immigrated from northern Italy in 1900 to the copper-mining town of Calumet, Mich., (in the Upper Peninsula). At age 10 she lost her mother in the 1918 Flu Epidemic. As the eldest daughter in her family of 10 brothers and sisters, she assumed the duties of homemaking early in life, leaving school at the end of 8th grade, and working for various families. At age 19 (1927) Katherine moved to Chicago with her 17-year-old sister Mary. During the Depression years she worked at a greeting-card factory. She was also diagnosed with tuberculosis, spent some time in a sanatorium, and was told she wouldn’t live past 40 years of age.

In 1942 she met and married Forrest Brunner. They moved to Oakland, where their first son Frank was born while Forrest worked in the WWII shipyards. Shortly after their daughter Gail was born, they moved to Healdsburg, Calif., in 1946, where they opened a small grocery store-gas station business and operated it until 1960.

In 1960 Katherine moved with two of her three children to Cloverdale, Calif., where she resided for the next 33 years. In 1993 she moved to Crescent City to be near her daughter Gail Moore. She enjoyed her life, home, family and friends especially during the last 18 years of her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents and all nine of her brothers and sisters. She is survived by her son Frank Brunner of Olympia, Wash., grandsons Ben (and Marci) Brunner of Tenino, Wash., and Paul Brunner of Olympia, Wash., (and their mother Judi Moore Brunner of Kelso, Wash.). Also by her daughter Gail Moore of Crescent City, grand-daughter Debbie (and Bryan) Garner of Stockton, Calif., and grandsons Mike (and Lek) Moore of Puyallup, Wash., and Bryan (and Gretchen) Moore of Yuba City (and their father Jim Moore of Crescent City); also by Shannon Moore and great grandsons Michael and Adam of Sparks, Nev. Also by son Glen Brunner of Crescent City.

Katherine (Sandretto) Brunner is also survived by innumerable nieces, nephews, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the Sandretto, Lizzadro and Locatelli families located mostly in Michigan and Illinois.

A very special “Thank You” to Katie’s long-term caregiver Donna Covey-Fisher for all the loving care and surprise gifts she continuously showered on Katie over the past four and a half years.

  — Submitted by Family