Audrey Patricia (Frost) Brunner, the wife of River Hills Village President Robert Brunner, passed away at home in her 80th year on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. She was the loving mother of Christine (Scott) Colby, Douglas Brunner (Jennifer Chirico) and Karen Robinson. Proud grandmother to Nicholas and Zachary Brunner; Kelly, Grant and Kate Colby; and Jack and Wendy Robinson. She was preceded in death by her parents Dr. George R. Frost and Alice Frost White.
Born in Chicago on March 26, 1934, she was raised in Great Neck, New York and attended Adelphi University, Garden City, NY and Katherine Gibbs School in New York City. She was employed as a stock and bond representative with AT&T for many years. Audrey first met her future husband, Bob, in Bay Head, along the Jersey shore. She and Bob were both accomplished swimmers in rough or calm seas and would spend several years during their courtship at the shore. Audrey married Bob in 1962 in Great Neck, Long Island and moved into an apartment in Greenwich Village, New York, a convenient location for both of their employment. They ultimately settled in Saddle River, New Jersey where their three children were born. Because of their fondness for the shore community, they purchased a summer home a block from the Atlantic Ocean in Bay Head fifty years ago. They also moved to Nebraska City, NE for a year when Bob's employer, Thomas J. Lipton, acquired Morton House Kitchens. Audrey demonstrated her flexibility and how quickly she could adjust to making friends in a new environment. Another adjustment in Audrey's life came about when Bob accepted an opportunity as President of Holsum Foods, headquartered in Waukesha, WI. They temporarily lived in Elm Grove where she quickly met new neighbors and friends. Their next move in 1970 was to a property on the Milwaukee River in River Hills. It was a decision that she and her husband have never regretted.
Audrey enjoyed giving to the community and served in many volunteer activities. She was a Girl Scout Leader in the Maple Dale Indian Hill School District, PTA President at Maple Dale School, past Board member of the Visiting Nurses Assoc., Director of the Protestant Home in Milwaukee and past Chair of the Lakefront Festival of the Arts. Audrey and Bob were members of the North Shore Congregational Church for 44 years. She and her husband were worldwide travelers. While all were memorable, they especially enjoyed a one-week visit to Macquarie University in Australia where their daughter, Karen, spent part of her junior year from studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. On the way home, they visited New Zealand, Fiji, American Samoa and the Tahitian Islands. Audrey was also a great asset on a Wisconsin Trade Mission trip led by Governor Lee Dreyfus to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Bob was a Cabinet Secretary in his administration in charge of business development, tourism and minority affairs at that time. She also accompanied her husband on an olive business trip to Spain to meet with the owners of his company and Spanish political and business leaders. Visiting Rock of Gibraltar and a week in Marbella, Spain on the Mediterranean were delightful side trips.
Bob and Audrey had a magical marriage – never an argument or cross words between them. Bob states from his part, there were a number of "yes, dears", but she also had some for him, as well. She never complained and enjoyed life and her many associations. They were blessed with their three loving children, all who received their degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Family members have been exceptionally close and believe in the resurrection and life after death, beliefs that make this celebration of Audrey's life possible.
A Memorial Service for her will be held at 11:00 AM, October 23, at the NORTH SHORE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 7330 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Fox Point, WI 53217.
