BRUNNER, Eduard (Edi) Peter
Edi Brunner passed away peacefully, surrounded by massive amounts of love in his beloved home in the evening of Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Edi was determined and exact in his journey with kidney cancer, actively managing his disease, staying positive and always being his quiet inspirational self throughout, mostly glorious smile intact.
Edi was born in Unterseen, Switzerland on September 2, 1961, the first child of four to Marianne and Edi Brunner-Abegglen. He grew up in the quaint jewel of Iseltwald on the Lake of Brienz. Rather than follow in his father’s commercial fishermen’s footsteps, Edi chose a career in Swiss banking and apprenticed with UBS, staying with the Swiss bank for almost 22 years as a respected, loyal and loved Investment Adviser. In 1999, with his Swiss-Canadian girl at his side, he immigrated to Canada. This was Edi’s life long dream, to live in Canada where the moose were a plenty and the lakes bubbling over with trout. He became a very proud Canadian citizen three years later, acing his exam and standing up every time our anthem was played.
Edi fulfilled his dream at 38 years old, an age where no none thinks of retiring. After years of tracking investment trends and analyzing balance sheets, Edi became the most wonderful and sought after man within our circle of family and friends, discovering that he had hands made for building furniture, landscaping, keeping the house as it should and making one mean meatloaf. He was a true renaissance man with a quiet belief, an inner strength; he was a deep thinker, so truly content.
Edi was deeply loved and will be missed so much by Carola Brunner, his wife and life partner of 22 years. He also leaves behind to mourn, his parents Marianne and Edi Brunner-Abegglen, his sisters Renate Brunner-Kazadi (with Jonathan) and Martina Brunner-Gerber (with Stephan) and his brother Markus Brunner, all of Switzerland. Here in Canada, he leaves behind his father-in-law, Wolfgang Kapp of Vernon, his brother-in-law Christoph Kapp (with Heike) of Vancouver and brother-in-law Michael Kapp (with Penelope, Isabella and Dominick) of Okotoks, Alberta. Edi is now with his mother-in-law, Elisabeth Kapp – his mamuschka who passed away too early in August 2010.
Sincere and heartfelt thanks to Dr.Timothy Gilhooly, Dr. Ed Hardy and the entire Vernon Cancer Centre team and the wonderful Community Nursing Team 3 who made it possible for us to care for Edi at home.
A formal funeral is planned in Iseltwald, Switzerland in early May. Here in Canada, we invite you to a Celebration of Edi’s life on Saturday, April 28th starting at 2 p.m. in our home at 511 Middleton Way, Coldstream, BC. We respectfully decline flowers. Donations may be made to the Palliative Care Program of the North Okanagan, c/o Home and Community Care, 4505 – 25 Street, Vernon, BC V1T 4S8.
Cremation arrangements are in the care of Vernon Funeral Home 250-542-0155.