Cathy Eileen Brunk

Cathy Eileen Brunk, affectionately known as Grandma Cat, was born on October 3, 1951, in Jackson, Minnesota, to Arnold and Elaine (Porisch) Buck. She passed away on March 4, 2026, at the age of 74 while on vacation in New Mexico with her loving husband, Gene Brunk. The fourth of seven children, Cathy was raised in a warm, Christian home and remained a person of deep and active faith throughout her life.

Cathy will be remembered for her joyous, bubbly personality and her kind-hearted, gentle, and patient spirit. She was a devoted wife, an extraordinary mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. Her love for God was evident in everything she did, from teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School to arranging holiday recitals, planning church meals, and serving in countless other ways. She embodied love through her unwavering devotion to her family and friends, celebrating their successes, supporting them through every difficulty, and ensuring no one ever felt alone.

She found joy in life’s simple pleasures—singing with her grandchildren, playing the guitar, fishing, swimming, riding horses, caring for animals on the farm, gardening, baking bread, and canning. Cathy cherished time at the family cabin in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, attending her grandchildren’s activities, and sharing stories from her rich imagination. Her passion for music was a gift she passed on to her children and grandchildren. A graduate of Jackson High School and later a computer programming and LPN program, she worked as a devoted farm wife, office administrator for Brunk Brothers Seed, an LPN at Heron Lake Nursing Home, a paraprofessional at Brewster Elementary, and a cashier at Kmart.

Cathy is survived by her husband and best friend, Gene Brunk; her children, Sarah (Dean) Wickstrom, Maria (Dave) Farber, and Adam (Melissa) Brunk; honorary children Steve and Jennie Geertsema; and a large, loving family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Connie Brunk, granddaughters Madison and Jasmine Nelson, and her sister Linda Carlson. Her legacy of kindness, resilience, and generous love will continue to live on in all whose lives she touched.