Although the original post on this blog focused on the Fritz and McElligott families, there are other families included under this umbrella. Aunt Mary McElligott married Dr. Bill Bruner and their children and grandchildren are all part of our extended family and of this blog.
We didn’t get to spend as much time with the Bruner family as with the Fritz family because fairly early they moved to New Mexico. What summer vacations we had we went to Montana to visit my Dad’s parents and saw a lof of the Western Fritz family but not the Bruners. Even so, the Bruners did come to Kansas City to visit Grandma McElligott and we did get to see them then. Once we had moved to Maryland (in 1957) it seemed that we fairly often vacationed at the same time. so we did get to see each other.
From those times I remember most my interactions with Karen and Rita, since we were close in age. Karen was very playful and Rita was quieter, but I tend to remember them as a pair. We also saw “Dad” Bruner, Uncle Bill’s father, who lived in Wichita, Kansas. I never had the opportunity to get to know the younger Bruners as a child, although they’ve been part of my life in later years. The whole Bruner family, inluding Dad Bruner, came to our wedding in 1967, which was great. Bill Bruner lived in Kansas City while he went to the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine and we saw him frequently at Uncle Ed amd Aunt Pat McElligott’s house. Bill drove a beautifukl Buick Riviera (had it been his Dad’s car?) which we all admired (and envied).
One thing I really appreciated was the presence of Bill, John and Paul at both Mom’s and Dad’s memorial services in 2013 and the lovely messages I received from the other siblings. We’ve been scattered across the US and don’t have enough opportunities to see each other but you’re all part of this wonderful family! I have high hopes for the 2015 reunion!