Wilfred August Bruns, 88, Winter Haven, Fla., died Dec. 18, 2008, at Good Shepherd Hospice of Auburndale, Fla.

He was born in 1920 in St. Henry to Clara and William Bruns. On Dec. 20, 1944, he married Alvira "Vera" M. Wenning, who survives.

Other survivors are two sons, Kenneth (Virginia), Cleveland, and Gary, Shreveport; two daughters, Rebecca Niemeyer, Upland, Calif., and Bonita (Terence) Neff, Mansfield; two brothers, Owen (Elizabeth), Brookville, and Eugene (Eileen), Burkettsville; a sister, Eileen Braun, Kettering; a sister-in-law, Agnes Bruns, Maria Stein; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Deceased are two brothers, Bernard and Stanley Bruns; two sisters, Loneta Hickey, and Patricia Niekamp; and a son-in-law, David Niemeyer.

He had worked at Minster Machine Company as a machinist until 1957. He owned and operated Bruns Nite Club, Burkettsville, and was a Snap-On Tools franchise dealer for 24 years. He served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during WW II on the USS SC 742 and the destroyer escort USS Bunch. He was a member of Saint Ann's Catholic Church of Haines City, Fla., the American Legion, VFW, Destroyer Escort Association, the Moose Lodge, Knights of Columbus and Elks Club.

Funeral service with military honors is 10 a.m. today at the church.

Calling was yesterday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City.

Contributions can be made to local hospice facilities or masses can be said in memory of Wilfred A. Bruns.

Condolences can be left at Oakridgefuneralcare.com.