Paul Brunner’s Farewell Celebration
A talk given by Dorothy Saley - December 8, 1998

 I feel very honored and extremely humble to speak at my dearest brother-in-love’s farewell celebration.  I truly feel we are here to celebrate with him, that today he is able to talk, walk, move his arms, and even play tennis.  I see his eyes sparkle with joy and happiness to once again have the use of his limbs and speak.

 While we are celebrating, can you imagine the homecoming that will be going on up there as he greets his mother, father, and siblings – George, Fred, Elise, and Emily – Oh, how much they have got to catch up on.

 When I saw him…yesterday, I remembered a saying from Tennyson, “God’s finger touched him and he slept.”

 I wonder if you grandchildren or children have ever heard the love story about your grandparents.  The Brunner’s lived across the street from our house.  Paul lived in New York and would come home to visit.  When your grandmother was thirteen, she was playing catch in the street with a girl friend.  She had seen Paul, but this day he came out of the house and she thought this was her chance to go and meet him.  Her friend left, so Paul and she played catch for a few minutes.  Then he walked her across the street and asked mother if she could go out with him and get some ice cream.  Mother was so impressed with this young man that she said, “Yes Pauly, I would trust my Pearly with you anytime.”

When Pearl came home she told mother that Paul was the man she was going to marry.  Later it was known that Paul told his mother that if Pearly would wait for him, when she grew up, he was going to marry her.  This was the start of a wonderful romance.

He was home for a few weeks and then left for New York.  They corresponded and only were together when he came home on vacation.  When she was almost nineteen, they were married and left for Los Angeles to live.

After sixty-three years, which include twenty-plus years of the sickness, it has been a beautiful love story.

My most memorable memories are with Pearly and Paul, so I would like to share some of them with you.  Paul was my hero from the time that I was eight years old.  I used to love to walk past his house when he was there because he would always come out and say, “Hello Dorothy” [I wish I could say it like he did.]  and I was too shy to answer him and then he would say, “Hello Miss Stuck Up with the long curls.”  Oh how I loved to hear him talk with that great accent!

Will I ever forget the day he drove up in George’s Model-T with a rumble seat.  You young people wouldn’t know what a rumble seat was, but it was the greatest!  Paul would take us for a ride in it.  We didn’t have a car, so you can imagine what that meant to a young girl.

When I was fourteen, mother decided that we should move to Long Beach to see if the climate would help the health of our older brother.  She rented our home and the five of us left on a bus for the new adventure.  Our Uncle Rob lived in Long Beach and we rented a home just four blocks from the ocean.  We were so excited, but it didn’t last too long because the man that rented our home did not pay the rent.  Money was very scarce and so was food.  Every Friday night, when Paul got paid, he and Pearl would go to the store and buy us bags of groceries.  How we waited for Friday’s when we would see his car drive up in front.  Oh, How good Paul was to us!   He had a heart as big as outdoors and his generosity was spread to anyone in need.   “When God measures a man, he puts the tape around the heart instead of the head.”  Oh, What a big heart Paul had!

Sonja and Evelyn, I had the great privilege to come and help your mother when each of you were born.  Instead of me helping, it was like a Cinderella story what your father would do for me.  He was Chef a the Brown Derby – that’s where the movie stars ate, and he would get tickets for me to go see the shows that they were producing for radio (they didn’t have TV then).  I saw lots of stars – Al Jolson, Joan Crawford, and many more.

Your home was my home – Paul was like a real brother to me and to my children.  During World War II, I came and lived there when Dave was in the service.  My daughter Pat and Richard [son of Paul] were almost the same age.  What happy memories with Sonja, Evelyn, Richard and Tommy.

Can you children remember how your dad would take each one of you to the bank to teach you how to open a savings account? He taught you the value of saving and where to put your money.

Your father and grandfather loved to dance.  I wish you could have seen Pearl and Paul on the dance floor.  He even took me to the Palladium, when I wasn’t of age, and taught me how to dance.  He taught me the value of a sense of humor and how to laugh.

He had the most beautiful singing voice I ever heard.  His handwriting was like calligraphy.  He would always address the envelopes when your mother sent letters home. 

He loved to build.  Remember the huge family room he built on the back of your home on Casitas so you could play pool and have plenty of space for your friends.  His whole life was to make it better and happier for his wife and children.

He loved boating, swimming, and especially tennis (and he was very good).  Of course, I have to mention his ability to make such marvelous meals, especially his rice pudding, which is a Saley tradition…and then his spaghetti.

His dream came true when he found his home in Oxnard.  Then overnight, he lost all his ability to do the things that meant the most to him.  How did he handle this tragedy?

What a lesson in courage, determination, patience, and example he taught all of us.  The hours on the front porch, trying to read a child’s English book and trying to sound out the words…his never giving up to write with his left hand….trying so hard to walk...then the hours in the garage learning to oil paint.  We all have been greatly blessed with his paintings hanging in our homes.

Through all of this he never gave up, he reminded me of the little engine that said, “I think I can, I think I can, I can.”   He never lost his cool….his perseverance.  He kept his sense of humor and loved to laugh.  Even though he could not express himself, he could always say, “Thank You.” For anything that was done for him.  The smile on his face and the twinkle in his eyes made sunshine in your soul.

The happiest week of my life was in February, when I had the privilege to take care of him, while Pearl was recuperating after hip surgery.  There could never be a better example of enduring to the end.   In D&C  “And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life, what gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”  His eternal life is assured.

God saw that he was so very tired

And a cure was not to be

So he put his arms around him

And whispered, “Come With Me.”

With tearful eyes you watched him suffer,

And saw him fade away

Although you loved him dearly

You would not want him to stay.

His golden heart stopped beating

And his weary body put to rest.

God knew he would be happy,

For he had passed the test.

To my beloved sister, who so tenderly took care of him for twenty years, kept him looking like a million every day and never complaining.  I am sure his gratitude was so deep for you, but he couldn’t tell you, but some day he will express his great love.

You have showed your children the true meaning of love, which is, attachment, endearment, affection, adoration, devotion, tenderness, and worship.  All of these things you so freely gave to your sweetheart.

“Duty makes you do things well, but love makes you do them beautifully.”

I am sure you will feel the peace of Christ.  “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Sonja, Evelyn, Richard, and Tommy, These past twenty years have not been easy, watching the struggle your father was going through, not being able to have his wisdom and advice that he was so qualified to give.  No more tennis or boating with him.  But the lessons he taught by example will never be forgotten and will be used in your lifetime.  You loved him and were always there when possible, and gave such support to your mother.  How your father loved you!

To you grandchildren, how I wish you could have known your grandfather when he was younger like I did.  You will always feel his influence and know of his great love for you.

And to Paul, my friend, my brother-in-love, we will not see you for a while, but you will be with us still.

 A husband, father, grandfather, friend—you are more than a memory, you will always be a living presence.  You life has been an inspiration and example for all of us to follow.  You accomplished your mission on Earth and left the world better than you found it.

I know Paul would like me to tell all his posterity:

I am in Heaven, dear ones
Oh, so happy and so bright.
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this ever lasting light.

All the pain and grief is over

Every restless tossing passed.
I am now at peace forever
Safely home in heaven at last.

Just think
Of stepping on shore,
       And finding it heaven
Of taking hold of a hand,
       And finding it God’s hands
Of breathing new air
       And finding it celestial air.
Of feeling invigorated
       And finding it immorality
And passing from storm and
       Tempest to an unbroken calm.