Vernon Charles Bruhn

February 17, 1925 - February 23, 2012

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Life Legacy

Vernon Charles Bruhn passed away on Feb. 23, 2012. He was born Feb. 17, 1925 in Winters, where he lived all his life. He began his career in the fire service as a cadet in high school and was a volunteer firefighter at the Winters Fire Department from 1945-63. In 1963, he accepted a paid position with the fire dept and within five years, was promoted to fire chief. He retired in 1987.
When he proposed to Vera, he told her that he would never move out of Winters, something she needed to know before she answered his proposal. Vernon loved his community and served it in many capacities. He was selected as the Winters Citizen of the Year in 1974.
He belonged to several organizations, having served as an officer in many of them for years. He was a WWII Coast Guard Veteran who served in the Pacific and Bering Sea. He was an active member in many community and fire organizations. He also served on the Sacramento/Yolo Mosquito District Board for 12 years. He enjoyed camping with friends and family, growing plants and working in his garden. He especially loved working with his woodcrafts in his shop and traveled all over California and Nevada attending craft shows with Vera and his good friends Terry and Barbara Karlen.
Vernon was preceded in death by his wife of 63 yrs, Vera Yarberry Bruhn; parents, Vernon E. and Mary Stuart Bruhn; son, Robert C. Bruhn; grandchildren David and Emily; brother, Milton S. Bruhn; sister-in-law, Joyce Bruhn; brother and sister-in-law, Leon and Antionette Yarberry; and step-brother, Donald Marlow.
He is survived by his children, Elizabeth Bruhn Ehnat (Thomas), Vernon E. Bruhn II (Katherine), Jeffrey L. Bruhn (Linda); Daughter-in-law, Kathy Wilton; Brother and Sister-in-law, Edgar and Virginia Yarberry; Sister-in-law Helen Marlow, grandchildren, Stephen Ehnat (Kristin), Denise Ehnat, Jennifer Ehnat Myers (Brandon), Amanda Ehnat, Michael Bruhn (Bernadette), Sylvia Bruhn, Sondra Bruhn Smith (Joshua), Tristine Bruhn Wheeler (Richard), Vernon Charles Bruhn II (Tiffani), Tyquin Johnson (Sheryl), Mystique Johnson Chandler, Jeffery Bruhn (Tera) and Siobhan Bruhn, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, cousins, LeRoy Harrington and Loretta (Harrington) Latona,
Friends are invited to a visitation Thursday, March 1, from 2–8 p.m. at Wiscombe Funeral Home, 34 Main Street in Winters, and to share in a celebration of Vernon’s, life on Friday, March 2, at 11 a.m. at the Winters Fire Department, 700 Main Street in Winters, (located on the corner of Highway 128 and Main Street), then to the graveside committal at Winters Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Winters Fire Department, Yolo County Hospice or the Winters Community Center.