Cyrus Dean Brunner Obituary

Cyrus Dean Brunner attended Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, CA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Cyrus Dean Brunner.

Graduation Year	Class of 1991
Date of Passing	Nov 03, 2006
About	Cy and his girlfirend, Nora were murdered in Mississippi. The gunman is serving 2 consecutive life sentences. Memory Eternal
Events	Santa Barbara News-Press November 10, 2006 12:00 AM BRUNNER, Cyrus Dean January 30, 1973 - November 3, 2006 was born January 30, 1973 at Goleta Valley Hospital. He was the second son and third child of Dean and Penny Brunner. As a youngster Cy was referred to by his family as "The People Pleaser," because of his endearing ways with seemingly everyone he came in contact with. He was an achiever in everything he attempted throughout grade school, junior high and high school. Never wanting to be anything but the best, he practiced diligence in every area of his life. Competition seemed to be what fueled him and he strove for perfection in everything he attempted. Cyrus began a career in sports when was five, standing on the sidelines of the soccer field watching his Dad and Uncle Lenny coach his older brother Zac and his cousin Andy. It seemed to Cy that he could play better than all those other kids if he was just given the chance! He was given that chance when he turned six because back then, that was the soonest a child could play any organized sport. He practiced zealously night and day to hone every skill he could in order to play every position on whatever field he was on or gym he was in. It took him several years to realize that he could not play every player's position at the same time, that it took teamwork, and he could not be the whole team, even though that seemed to be his desire. When one sports season was over, the very next day, he would be up at the crack of dawn to begin practicing for his next endeavor. His favorite sport was always the one in which he was currently playing. As Cyrus grew older he excelled at football, baseball, basketball and wrestling. In 1990, as a senior at Dos Pueblos High School, he set the single season football rushing record of 1310 yards which still stands. He was also honored two years in a row as a junior and senior as the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Baseball Player of the Year. He graduated from Dos Pueblos in 1991 and attended college locally. He worked in his father's painting business on and off for several years and held other jobs around town until 1998 when he moved to Jackson, Mississippi where he eventually went back to college full time, earning a BA degree in business from Belhaven College. Never to be left out of anything, but mostly for the love of the games, he began playing football and baseball for Belhaven as a 28 year old, loving the team camaraderie and being called the "old man." Cyrus graduated with honors from Belhaven in May of 2004 and returned to Goleta. He worked at Sportmart and then for his brother Zac in his painting business. He spent two years here and then decided to return to Jackson in late June of this year along with Nora Lee Acuna. The two were tragically shot to death on the night of November 3, 2006. Although Cyrus was known around town for his abilities and accomplishments in sports, there was another side to him that was not well known by most people. He struggled with many things and fought a battle within himself that is hard to describe. In January of 2002 he was asked to give his testimony at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Jackson. What follows is a part of that testimony that tells of the battle we knew so little about: The Fight of My Life They wait patiently; uncomfortable silence destroys my faith I pray before rest, as they eagerly await my weary state of mind I nod off to sleep and then it begins. Subtle engage initially; I toss and turn, wrestling that I may rest. My cognitive ability is so limited by my tired intellect that I am not aware of my surroundings. They are after my life when I am awake, and they work to destroy my focus on God when I least expect. These attacks are terrible at best. Yet they are not unwarranted, for I have sin still in my heart and in my life. These demons hide in the darkest corners of my life, my heart, my soul. I beseech thee oh God: bring forth your light and expose my darkest deeds that I may be humble at all times, only so that I might exude your ineffable glory. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Cyrus was a truly beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and grandson. He is survived by his parents, Dean and Penny Brunner, his oldest sister, Jamia Stetler (Stoney) his oldest brother, Zachary, his middle sister, Tawnia Valory (Keith), his two younger brothers, Justin and Beau (Leticia) and his baby sister Tiffany VanWagoner (Jamie). He also leaves his two grandmothers, Leona Gates and Beatrice Brunner, his aunts and uncles Lynn and Joan Simonsen and Pam and John Linder as well as twelve nieces and nephews, Scott, Taylor, Brett and Jordan Williams, Jackson, Cassie and Taylor Stetler, Ashley Arndt, Jasmin and Zachary Brunner, Connor and Siena Valory, and cousins Andrew, Stacey and Robby Simonsen, Corie Simonsen Sieck (Brian) as well as the Linder cousins, Chris, Joann and Stephanie. Cyrus was baptized into Christ August 24, 1980. He was preceded in death by his beloved Grandfather Robert Brunner and Auntie Carol Simonsen who, by God's grace and mercy, are both waiting to greet him in Paradise. Viewing will be Saturday, November 11, from 5:00-7:30 PM at the Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Home, 450 Ward Drive, Goleta, and also at the Prayers for the Departed, 7:30 Sunday evening, November 12, at St. Athanasius Orthodox Church, 976 Embarcadero Del Mar, Isla Vista, followed by a prayer vigil. The Orthodox Christian funeral service will be Monday, November 13, at 11:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance, Santa Barbara, with burial following at the Goleta Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Cyrus Brunner Scholarship Fund for the St. John of Damascus Academy, 401 N. Fairview #11, Goleta, CA, 93117. May his memory be eternal.