Joann M. Bruns

Joann May Bruns was born on July 26, 1937, to Rachel and Arthur May of Bath, Indiana. She was one of three daughters – her twin, Joyce May Matthews, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Norma May Smith, of Fort Myers Beach, Florida. She talked often and lovingly about her childhood on the farm with parents who were kind, progressive, active in the community and focused on their "girls". Joann's sisters remained her best friends throughout her life. Joyce and Joann talked everyday by phone, and Joann spent her winters just a few doors from Norma in Florida.

Like her sisters, Joann attended and graduated from McGuffey High School in Oxford, an experimental school associated with Miami University's College of Education. She was a sophomore when senior, Robert "Bob" Bruns, asked her to the "M Club" dance. They remembered falling in love that night and after that neither dated anyone else. Joann took classes at Miami and worked at the Farmers State Bank in Oxford while Bob finished pharmacy school at the University of Cincinnati. He graduated in June 1957, and they married a month later. That same month, they opened the New Paris Pharmacy, a small-town drug store with a soda fountain and host of regulars who became good friends.

In June 1958, they had a son, Stephen Bruns, of Eaton. A year later, their daughter, Susan Bruns Schiff, of Atlanta, was born. Joann left the bank and focused on her family giving them a home filled with unconditional love, home-cooked meals, joyous holidays and a belief that with work anything is possible. She was active with the Preble County Historical Society.

When her children entered high school, Joann returned to work in the gift and houseware's department of Knollenberg's, a family owned department store in Richmond, Indiana. She loved helping customers pick the perfect wedding present or accessory for their homes. Most of all she loved her co-workers, who would remain loyal friends throughout her life.

Steve and Susan both married. Steve married Lisa Lange Bruns, and had two children, Andy, and Molly. Susan married Scott Schiff, and they had four, Sara, Stuart, Spencer and Sydney. The same love and devotion Joann showed her children were immediately focused on her grandchildren. They, too, remember how she made every holiday a wonderful experience, how she stocked the house with their favorite foods and took them shopping insisting on buying them anything she knew they secretly wanted.

When anyone thinks of Joann, they think immediately of Bob. After 60 years of marriage, they always held hands, always kissed goodnight and never had a cross word. When Joann suffered a serious stroke in 2014, Bob devoted himself to her 24 hours a day to keep her healthy, happy and feeling loved. When anyone commented on his constant devotion his only comment would be, "You know she takes care of me, too."

Family will receive friends on Monday, January 9, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M. at Barnes Funeral Home, 109 West Main Street, New Paris, Ohio and one hour prior to the service with the funeral service 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at the funeral home. Interment will be in College Corner Cemetery in College Corner, Indiana. Memorial Contributions may be made to Preble County Historical Society 7693 Swartsel Road Eaton, Ohio 45320 or New Paris Presbyterian Church, New Paris, Ohio 45347. Condolences may be sent to the family via the Web site at www.barnesfuneralhome.com.