Charles E. Brubaker

CHARLES E. BRUBAKER Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident Charles E. "Bru" Brubaker will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 6 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Pastor Rob Bruendl of Johnson Memorial Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at Lewis Cemetery with Military Honors being conducted. Visitation has been set for Sunday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Family and friends are invited to join the Brubakers in celebrating Bru’s life at the Cortez Recreation Center for a catered luncheon immediately following the interment services. Charles Eugene Brubaker ("Bru") was born in Lyons, Kansas on May 11, 1923, to Charles Oscar and Alberta Francis Brubaker. He passed away on June 30, 2009, at Stanford Court Nursing Center in Santee, California. Bru resided there since March 6, 2009, to be closer to his sons Mitch & Mark Brubaker and their families. He was 86. During World War II, Bru served in New Hollandia, New Guinea and became friends with Kemper West, who invited Bru in the late 1940s to hunt elk in Colorado Bru fell in love with both the country and June Hadley and made Cortez his home. Bru and June married on Dec. 4, 1954 and started a family. Bru was very active in the community, first as a painter before he and June founded Bru's House of Color, which they operated from 1963 to 1986. The paint store is a thriving business that still bears his name. Bru was a volunteer fireman for many years and he also served on the Cortez City Counsel. Bru's family brought him much pride and joy and some of his happiest times were those spent with the family "up the West Fork" and working on the "20 Acres." Bru took special delight in his grandchildren and his family. Friends were always welcome for a visit and a cup of coffee. Bru and June enjoyed traveling together and spending their time working the land, raising livestock and looking for and restoring antiques. Surviving Bru are his three sons Mark Brubaker and wife Susan, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Scott Brubaker and wife, Beth, of Destin, Fla., and Mitch Brubaker and wife, Kathy, of Santee, Calif.; his sister Norma of Lyons, Kansas, and his seven grandchildren, Jonathan and Katherine Brubaker of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Stephanie Brubaker of Portland, Ore., Eric Brubaker of Destin, Fla., Jason, Brandon and Natalie Brubaker, all of Santee, Calif., along with numerous in-laws, nephews and nieces. Bru was preceded in death by his parents; his wife June and his siblings Rodney, Ruthy, Hugh and Nancy. Memorial contributions may be made in Bru's memory to Hospice of Montezuma, PO Box 740, Cortez.