1928
Jack
2011
Jack Wade Brunson
March 6, 1928 — July 18, 2011
Jack Wade Brunson
- Cleveland, SC
Jack Wade (Big Jack) Brunson, 83, of 319 Fish Hawk Road, passed away peacefully Monday, July 18, 2011 at his home.
Born March 6, 1928 in Sumter County, S.C., he was a son of the late John Hezekiah and Rita Baker Brunson. After his parents' death, he was placed in the Crosswell Home for Children at the age of eight. He left Crosswell Home at the age of sixteen, and went to work for WFIG in Sumter as the youngest licensed radio engineer in the state at that time.
He was an outstanding football player for Edmunds High School, and was selected to play in the 1946 Shrine Bowl. His teammates chose him as Captain of the South Carolina team.
After high school, he was awarded a scholarship to play for Clemson College under Coach Frank Howard. During this time, he played on the 1949 Gator Bowl team, and the 1951 Orange Bowl team.
After receiving a degree in Animal Husbandry, Mr. Brunson moved to Florence to work for the Clemson Agricultural Extension Sevice. He went into pharmaceutical sales for Lederle Laboratories, then moved to Columbia in 1971 to work for the Rembert Co. until his retirement in 1998. He was past President of the Tiger Lettermens Association.
Surviving are his wife of sixty-two years, Nita Brunson; children, Jack Wade (Denise) Brunson Jr. of Taylors, Kaye (Billy) Buchanan of Columbia, Debbie (Marion) Rembert of Florence, Ted (Kelly) Brunson of Fort Mill, and Trisha Brunson of Greenville; two brothers, Mickey (Marian) and Robert (Lyn) Brunson; and two sisters, Jackie Partin and Harriet Bruce. His grandchildren are April (Larry) Jackson, Melanie (Darby) Smith, Caroline (Nick) Reinhardt, Kirk (Joi) Brunson, Wynlyn (Cougar) McBride, Ashley Buchanan, Whitney Buchanan, Hunter Brunson, Caitlin Brunson, Catherine Brunson, and Rivers Brunson. His great-grandchildren are Carson and Kelly Ellis Jackson and Stryker McBride. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by one grandson, Kelly Wade Watson.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM Wednesday at Saluda Hill Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM Wednesday at the church prior to the service.
Graveside funeral services will be 11:00 AM Thursday at Sumter Cemetery, Sumter, SC.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Crosswell Home for Children, 11 Crosswell Drive, Sumter, SC 29150, Open Arms Hospice, 1836 West Georgia Road, Simpsonville, SC 29680 or Saluda Hill Baptist Church, 646 Ridge Springs Road, Pickens, SC 29671.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road in Easley, which is assisting the family.
- Cleveland, SC
Jack Wade (Big Jack) Brunson, 83, of 319 Fish Hawk Road, passed away peacefully Monday, July 18, 2011 at his home.
Born March 6, 1928 in Sumter County, S.C., he was a son of the late John Hezekiah and Rita Baker Brunson. After his parents' death, he was placed in the Crosswell Home for Children at the age of eight. He left Crosswell Home at the age of sixteen, and went to work for WFIG in Sumter as the youngest licensed radio engineer in the state at that time.
He was an outstanding football player for Edmunds High School, and was selected to play in the 1946 Shrine Bowl. His teammates chose him as Captain of the South Carolina team.
After high school, he was awarded a scholarship to play for Clemson College under Coach Frank Howard. During this time, he played on the 1949 Gator Bowl team, and the 1951 Orange Bowl team.
After receiving a degree in Animal Husbandry, Mr. Brunson moved to Florence to work for the Clemson Agricultural Extension Sevice. He went into pharmaceutical sales for Lederle Laboratories, then moved to Columbia in 1971 to work for the Rembert Co. until his retirement in 1998. He was past President of the Tiger Lettermens Association.
Surviving are his wife of sixty-two years, Nita Brunson; children, Jack Wade (Denise) Brunson Jr. of Taylors, Kaye (Billy) Buchanan of Columbia, Debbie (Marion) Rembert of Florence, Ted (Kelly) Brunson of Fort Mill, and Trisha Brunson of Greenville; two brothers, Mickey (Marian) and Robert (Lyn) Brunson; and two sisters, Jackie Partin and Harriet Bruce. His grandchildren are April (Larry) Jackson, Melanie (Darby) Smith, Caroline (Nick) Reinhardt, Kirk (Joi) Brunson, Wynlyn (Cougar) McBride, Ashley Buchanan, Whitney Buchanan, Hunter Brunson, Caitlin Brunson, Catherine Brunson, and Rivers Brunson. His great-grandchildren are Carson and Kelly Ellis Jackson and Stryker McBride. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by one grandson, Kelly Wade Watson.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM Wednesday at Saluda Hill Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM Wednesday at the church prior to the service.
Graveside funeral services will be 11:00 AM Thursday at Sumter Cemetery, Sumter, SC.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Crosswell Home for Children, 11 Crosswell Drive, Sumter, SC 29150, Open Arms Hospice, 1836 West Georgia Road, Simpsonville, SC 29680 or Saluda Hill Baptist Church, 646 Ridge Springs Road, Pickens, SC 29671.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Powdersville Road in Easley, which is assisting the family.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jack Wade Brunson, please visit our flower store.
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