Photos of Roxanne

An obituary of Roxanne by her friends

Roxanne Bruns, our loving friend, niece, cousin and daughter, born September 19, 1951, to Ralph and Doris Bruns of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, died too soon, on November 6, 2008, in Oakland, California.

Born to a family with deep roots in Ft. Wayne, Roxanne attended New Haven High School (’69) and earned a degree in French from Purdue University.

Roxanne moved to San Francisco in the mid-70's after living in Boston a short time. Her favorite haunts became Stinson Beach, Bolinas, and Harbin Hot Springs; over the years, she also travelled further afield to Hawaii, Mexico and Morocco.

She developed a career in video production at San Francisco's City College, and also worked at KCSM and Hewlett Packard.

About 10 years ago, she switched to a real estate career and became a respected and successful realtor for Prudential and Keller Williams. Her clients often became her friends, and she generously gave real estate and design advice to friends and neighbors. She cared about her community; at one point, she became famous for her campaign against the whistling mufflers!

With Madonna, a gorgeous chow she rescued and brought out west after visiting friends in Florida, she moved to Oakland from SF in the mid-90s. Roxanne had a keen eye for interior design, appreciated elegant fashion, yet had a talent for bargain hunting. She was a history-lover and active member of Oakland Heritage Alliance. Well-read and articulate, she avidly discussed books, plays and movies, and she often attended lectures such as Commonwealth Club events. Sociable and fun-loving, she appreciated good wine and gourmet food. A lover of nature, she hiked as often as she could, and dreamed of living in the country someday.

Roxanne believed strongly that one should try to visualize one’s desired outcome, and also believed in healing through the power of the mind. She practiced gratitude, devoting her last months of life to intensive reading and journaling. Even after becoming ill, she brought to bear that positive focus on her friends' problems.

Roxanne is predeceased by her mother Doris, survived by her father, Ralph Bruns of Castro Valley, Uncle and Aunt Kenneth and Illief of Ft. Wayne, Uncle Don Bruns of Annapolis, Cousins Diane and Neal Bruns of Ft. Wayne, and Doug Bruns, of Fulton, MD. Her caregiving circle included women friends from a longstanding book club, former work places, close neighbors who became friends from the three places she lived in Oakland, and other dear ones back east. Rox was so grateful to her friends, and caregivers of Heavenly Home Care, who enabled her to stay at home till the end.

A celebration of life, with Christian Science readings and other sharing, will take place Friday, January 30, 2009, at 5:30 pm in Oakland. For information, please email eodza@comcast.net or call 510-638-5446. Donations to Women's Cancer Resource Center (www.wcrg.org) or Humane Society are preferred.