My cousin rang from Huntington this morning with the news. Eldon always ran the Faith Chapel coffee hour like it mattered. Praying for Phylis tonight.
Their story
Eldon L. Bruner was a longtime Huntington, Indiana accountant and office manager and a dedicated community volunteer who was known across the Huntington County area for his decades of quiet civic service. He died on October 9, 2026, at Heritage Pointe of Huntington at the age of 84. Born in…
Eldon L. Bruner was a longtime Huntington, Indiana accountant and office manager and a dedicated community volunteer who was known across the Huntington County area for his decades of quiet civic service. He died on October 9, 2026, at Heritage Pointe of Huntington at the age of 84.
Born in Greenville, Ohio, on October 30, 1941, to Harry and Mabel (Cook) Bruner, Eldon grew up in Ansonia, Ohio, and graduated from Ansonia High School in 1959. He went on to earn an associate's degree from the International Business College of Fort Wayne before settling in Huntington, Indiana, where he would spend the rest of his life. He served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War before returning home to build his career and start a family.
Professionally, Eldon worked for many years as an accountant and office manager, holding positions with Altman-Kramer Motors, Woody's Auto Repair, and H.H. Niswander. Colleagues and neighbors came to know him as a steady, friendly presence in the Huntington business community. Away from the office, he poured his energy into local institutions: he served as treasurer and youth group leader at Faith Chapel Church, sat on the Clear Creek Township Advisory Board, and was an active member of the Bippus Lions Club. He was also a familiar figure at youth sporting events, helping coach youth baseball and organizing the Bippus Country Block Bop running races.
Eldon met Phylis M. Smith while both attended Beech Grove Church, and the two married on December 21, 1963, sharing 62 years of marriage by the time of his death. A devoted fan of the Cincinnati Reds and the Ohio State Buckeyes, he carried his Ohio roots with him throughout his decades in Indiana.
Eldon L. Bruner died on October 9, 2026, at Heritage Pointe of Huntington. His death was announced through an obituary published by McElhaney Funeral Home of Huntington. No cause of death has been made public. He is survived by his wife, Phylis Bruner; his son, Tim Bruner of Holland, Michigan; and his grandchildren, Jarek Bruner and Skyler Paige, both of Holland, Michigan. A visitation and graveside service are scheduled for October 23, 2026, at Faith Chapel Church and Beech Grove Cemetery in Huntington County.
Biography adapted from News reports and the sources cited on this page; death reported by The Huntington County Tab.
He did the coffee hour for years, never missed a Sunday.