Ethel Arlene Bruns, 97, of Waldoboro, formerly of Portland, died March 9. She was born in Portland on June 11, 1910, a daughter of Clarence Garland and Annie (Ferris) Thomas. Arlene attended local schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1928. She also graduated from Gray s Business College of Portland.
Prior to her marriage, she was a bookkeeper at Greeley Laundry and later worked at the Lincoln Jr. High cafeteria. She married Anders Norman Bruns on Oct. 25, 1934 and became the caring mother of three children: Robert G., Philip T. and Cheryl Anne. She cared for two elderly neighbors and the Bowman children who lost their mother when they were very young. They became her second family: Mary B. Browne, Thomas Bowman, Martha B. Corneil, and Mark Bowman.
Arlene was an accomplished pianist; she taught piano and was a member of the Junior Rossini Club.
She became a member of First Baptist Church of Portland in 1923 where she played piano for the Sunday school and taught the word of God to several generations of children. She was a Deaconess for many years, and was a long time member of the Berean Class.
Arlene was preceded in death by her brother Albert H. Thomas in 1934, her mother Annie M. Thomas in 1975, her husband in 1976, and her father Clarence G. Thomas in 1982.
She is survived by two sons, Robert G. Bruns and wife Ellen of Freeport and Philip T. Bruns and wife Frances of North Yarmouth; daughter Cheryl A. Harding and husband Richard of Waldoboro; eight grandchildren: Laura Bruns Rogers, Andrew Bruns, Dana Bruns, David Bruns, Darren Bruns, Brett Harding, James Harding, and Cynthia Harding; eight great-grandchildren: Jordan Rogers, Logan Bruns, Dylan Bruns, Drew Bruns, Holly Bruns, Abbey Bruns, Jensen Bruns and Lindsay Harding.
Visiting hours 4-7 p.m., Wed., March 12, at the Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Funeral service in celebration of her life, 2 p.m., Thurs., March 13 at the First Baptist Church of Portland, 360 Canco Rd., Portland. Burial will be in the spring at Forest City Cemetery, South Portland.
In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make donations to First Baptist Church of Portland, 360 Canco Rd., Portland, ME 04103.
