Obituary of Jennie Jernigan Brunner

Mrs. Jennie H. Jernigan Brunner, a resident of Arguta, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Thursday morning, April 4, 2024, surrounded by her family following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 80 years old. Funeral services for Mrs. Brunner will be 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, from Ozark Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Eric Fuller officiating. A private interment will be in Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Monday from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Mrs. Jernigan was born July 11, 1943, in the Arguta community of Dale County, Alabama to the late J. D. Jernigan and Jennie Melba Brown Jernigan. She was the youngest of five siblings. Jennie was a graduate of Carroll High School and the University of Alabama in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. She married the late SFC Gene Brunner in 1965, and they had three children together and many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jennie had a twenty-year-long career at G. W. Long School where she taught Home Economics. She had an incredible passion for teaching nutrition, sewing, parenting, and cooking. Jennie will always be remembered for her love of God, family, and lifelong service to her community. She was the founding member of Serving Hands Quilting Group at Ozark Baptist Church. Together and with her leadership, Serving Hands Quilting Group made and donated over 350 quilts since its inception. The number of quilts and handmade goods Jennie made in her lifetime was immeasurable. She was an avid quilter, talented seamstress, and amazing cook. Jennie is best remembered by her community for her Southern Pound Cake, which has traveled locally and abroad, and was complimented by a three-star U. S. Army General. She was a devout Christian and dedicated many hours to helping others in accordance with her Christian values. She was an avid Alabama fan. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gene Brunner; two brothers, Jerry and Bob Jernigan; and one sister, Jackie (Michael) Williams. Survivors include two daughters, Carol (Eugene) Kadish of Cleveland Heights Ohio, Melba (David) Lassy of Ozark; one son, Russell Brunner of Ozark; one sister, Janice (Larry) Black of Ontario, Canada. Jennie’s pride and joy were her grandchildren, MSG Michael (Jennifer) Metcalf of El Paso, Texas, Joshua (Jasmine) Lassy of Ozark, Elizabeth (Christopher) Lassy Glazer of Torrington, CT, and Logan Brunner; her greatgrandchildren, Cameron, David and Miya Metcalf of El Paso, Texas. Jennie is also survived by her lifelong friends, Mackie Jordan, and Caroline Brown both of Ozark, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to G. W. Long Elementary Kindergarten or G. W. Long Elementary Library for the purchase of books, 2567 County Road 60, Skipperville, Alabama 36374; or St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Attn: Memorial Giving, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. The Brunner family would like to thank Community Hospice for their care and loving devotion to their mom. A special thank you to the nurses; Jennifer Taylor, Mark, and Kathy for their compassionate and attentive care. The family would also like to thank her community, friends, and family for their well wishes, cards, gifts, and food.