Obituaries

Mary Ellen Cornell Brunner passed away peacefully in Toledo, Ohio on October 12, 2024. Mary Ellen was born in 1929 in Babylon, Long Island, New York, to Harvey and Mary Ellen (Quinn) Cornell.

Her mother was born in County Longford, Ireland and traveled to America on the Lusitania via Ellis Island. She met and married Harvey Cornell where Harvey was the supervisor for the FB Thorne estate in Babylon, Long Island. Tragically, Mary Ellen’s mother died of tuberculosis when Mary Ellen was 6 years old. Her last memory of her mother was waving to her from a window of the sanitorium. At the height of the depression, Mary Ellen, her brother Frank, and sister Martha, lived with her Aunt Rose and her cousins who all became an impactful influence on Mary Ellen’s childhood. In 1938, Mary Ellen’s father married his wife’s younger sister, Bridget Quinn and the family moved to Queens, New York and subsequently settled in Millbrook, New York. It was in Millbrook that Mary Ellen attended high school and was voted the most popular girl and best companion in her class. She was Junior Prom Queen, President of the Library Club and participated in several dramatic and musical productions.

Upon graduation from high school, Mary Ellen enrolled at St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in New York City and became a Registered Nurse. While working at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, one of her supervisors recognized Mary Ellen’s talent and intellect, and she strongly encouraged Mary Ellen to apply for the Nursing Educator Fellowship program at St. Louis University. Mary Ellen was awarded a full tuition scholarship. At the age of 22 years old, she boarded a train for St. Louis by herself to pursue her nurse educator degree from St. Louis University.

While working on her degree at St. Louis University, Mary Ellen met Jack Brunner, a St. Louis University Medical Student from Toledo, Ohio. They fell in love, and when they both finished their respective degrees, they married in October of 1953. They moved to Detroit, Michigan where Jack was doing his internal medicine residency at Henry Ford Hospital, and Mary Ellen was a clinical nursing instructor. Once Jack finished his residency, they settled in Toledo as Jack started his internal medical practice. They raised their family in Toledo and had a loving and fulfilling marriage for 70 years.

Mary Ellen was always up for travel and adventure which led to some great stories and memories. In 1962, while visiting New York City, Mary Ellen went to The Price is Right Show taping, with the hope of being picked as a contestant. She purposely wore a red dress to stand out in the crowd, which resulted in host Bill Cullen exclaiming, “Will the lady in the red dress, come on down!” Mary Ellen was the big winner that day, with prizes including furniture and a trip to Denmark. Throughout their lives together, Mary Ellen and Jack continued to pursue numerous travel adventures all over the world with many good friends from Toledo.

Mary Ellen involved herself in the Toledo community as a volunteer for the Head Start Reading Program, Mobile Meals, the Mercy Hospital Guild, and organized numerous duplicate bridge marathons for various bridge groups. In the latter half of her life, bridge became her passion. She was able to achieve Bridge Life Master status in 2001 and continued to enjoy bridge with Jack until their final days.

Mary Ellen will always be remembered for her friendly smile, unwavering Catholic faith, and a spirit for life and adventure. Her children remember her as a wonderful, caring mother, and attribute their success in life to her selfless, dedicated, loving guidance and support. She instilled in her children that you could accomplish anything if you set your mind to it.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jack this past July, and they will now be together for eternity. Mary Ellen is survived by her children Jack (Suzanne Robinson) Brunner, Susan (Thomas) Spera, and Rick (Jennifer Murtagh) Brunner, her grandchildren Jack (Susan) Brunner, Michael Brunner, Katie (Jacob) Sandvik, Jennifer (Evan) Feldhausen, Allison (Brent) Pederson, Christine (Alex) Sidlak, Jacqueline, Stephen, and Michael Spera, William (Alexandra) Brunner, Robert (Shea) Brunner, and James Brunner, as well as her nine great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Mary Ellen Cornell, her aunt and stepmother Bridget Cornell, her Aunt Rose Philpot, her sister Martha Reyna, and her brother Frank Cornell.

A funeral Mass is planned for Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5373 Main St. Sylvania, Ohio. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to St. Joseph Catholic Church.