William Donald Arthur "Don" Bruns, 87, entered the Church Triumphant on February 26, 2026. He was born on October 22, 1938, in Lamesa, Texas, the third child and first son of Rev. Arthur Adolph Bruns and Wilhelmine Lydia (Karcher) Bruns.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:30 am at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Rev. Craig Rendahl officiating.

Don grew up in a devoted Lutheran family, his father serving as a pastor and his mother as a gifted homemaker and organist. Their ministry led the family to several communities throughout Texas, including Lamesa, San Benito, Schulenburg, Pampa and Vernon. As "preacher's kids," Don and his sisters were immersed in the life, faith, and music of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. Their childhood was filled with both mischief and music, and all three grew into accomplished church musicians who continued serving well into their later years.

The Lord gifted Don with remarkable musical ability. Though best known at the organ bench, he mastered an entire family of instruments—strings, brass, winds, percussion—and used those gifts in service to young musicians and congregations alike. Over the years, he taught and conducted at the high school, college, and even professional level, and he led many church choirs in lifting their voices to the glory of God. He earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in music education, sharing the joy of music with countless students.

Yet Don's life was not devoted only to music. His curiosity and industriousness carried him into many different trades across the years—insurance, farming, beer brewing, cafeteria management, saw sharpening and repair, and eventually clock repair. Whatever the task, he approached it with the same energy and creativity that marked his music.

Don spent much of his adult life in Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and South Texas, where he raised his two sons. Later in life, he returned to Vernon, Texas—a place deeply rooted in his family's history—where he felt truly at home. He cherished the warm prairie winds, the quiet of country roads, and the peaceful moments spent on his farm, often with a beer in hand while surveying the land he loved. He taught music at Vernon College for many years, operated a clock repair service, and provided organ accompaniment for churches throughout the region on both sides of the Red River. Serving the community through music brought him immense joy.

Don is survived by his sisters, Beryl Jean Woolbright and Dorothy Jones (Stan); his sons, Stephen Bruns (Missy) and Philip Bruns (Karen); and four grandchildren, Matthew Bruns (Courtney), Allison Bruns Stolper (Nathan), Noah Bruns, and Eli Bruns.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. Arthur Adolph Bruns and Wilhelmine Lydia (Karcher) Bruns.

The family requests that memorials be made to the General Scholarship Fund at Vernon College:
https://www.vernoncollege.edu/alumni-and-friends-homepage .