Mitsue Nakaganeku Brunckhorst
OSMOND — Memorial services for Mitsue Nakaganeku Brunckhorst, 97, of Osmond, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2023, at the United Methodist Church in Osmond.
Rev. Alan Gager will be officiating the service. Organist Charlotte Kiichler will accompany the congregational hymn selections, 'In The Garden,' 'Amazing Grace' and 'Hymn Of Promise.' Inurnment will be held at the Osmond City Cemetery at Osmond. Stonacek Memorial Chapel in Osmond is in charge of the arrangements.
At the age of 97 Mitsue peacefully entered eternal rest Wednesday evening, July 12, 2023, at Box Butte General Hospital in Alliance.
Mitsue Nakaganeku was born Jan.
30, 1926, to Tokuyuki and Matsu (Oyakawa) Nakaganeku in Hanejison, Okinawa. Mitsue attended Dancing and Sewing schools before working at a dry-cleaning store where she met Harold Brunckhorst. They were married at the American Consular Unit at Naha Okinawa March 7, 1960, and remained married until Harold’s death in 2019. To this union were born Cindy, Gary, Harold Jr. and Kent. Harold Sr. was honorably discharged from the Navy and flew back to San Diego, CA, while Mitsue, Cindy and Gary left Ryukyu Islands traveling on a ship across the ocean, reaching San Diego six weeks later.
The family then traveled to Osmond, where Mitsue lived until 2019. Following the death of her husband, she moved to Hemingford, living the remainder of her days with Cindy and Jim. Being an accomplished seamstress, Mitsue sewed clothes for her children. You could always tell the Brunckhorst children because the boys had matching gingham shirts and Cindy would have a matching gingham dress. Mitsue was proud to be an American and on May 26, 1970, became a United States Citizen. After grasping the English language, Mitsue went to work at the Osmond hospital.
This was the place where she learned many holiday customs. Coworkers showed her how to knit and crochet.
Family, friends, and coworkers were given Christmas stockings, pumpkins, stuffed animals, and pillows. Besides sewing, Mitsue enjoyed watching her boys wrestle. She enjoyed cooking for her children and their families.
The family joke was never turn your back because Mitsue would fill your empty plate and then say, “eat, eat.”
After many years working, it was time to retire at the age of 70. She was so touched when the hospital gave her a retirement party. After retirement, she would sometimes travel west with her good friend, Joan Baer, to visit their children Cindy and Jim. They would find many adventures along Highway 20, making a six-hour trip turn into eight. This was during the age of no cell phones. When they arrived at their destination, they would laugh and talk about their adventures.
Even in her 90’s she continued to sew with poor eyesight — it was like she could sew by feel. She proudly taught her grandchildren sewing as well as origami. She enjoyed watching sports on TV and all 4-ft., 10 in. would loudly cheer on the Huskers. She would shake her head in dismay when she found out her daughter didn’t watch Husker sports (so she watched with her sonin- law). In 2013 she met her nieces Hiromi and Nozomi, forging a lasting relationship. Last January, aided by brother Hideo and nephew Masanobu in Okinawa, and U.S. families, Mitsue celebrated her Kajimaya, marking her 97th birthday.
She is survived by her brothers Tokumi and Hideo of Okinawa; daughter Cindy (Jim) Baer of Hemingford; sons Gary (Barb) of Youngstown, OH, Harold Jr. (Linda) of Osmond, and Kent (Sue) of Seward; grandchildren William Baer, April (Zach) Nelson, Brandon Brunckhorst, Jennifer Blevins, Gary Jr. (McKenna) Brunckhorst, Brittany (AJ) Kleier, Nikki Brunckhorst (Tommy Grimes), Jess(Chris) Perks; great-grandchildren Aydan Nelson, Jessa Backer, Peyton and Avery Brunckhorst, Jayven and Zach Blevins, Alana and Jerrod War Bonnett, Bentley Baer, Ryatt Berney, Hudson Kleier, and Kai Grimes.
Mitsue was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers Nobuo and Masaiku; sisters Masako and Hatsuko, and grandson Dustin Brunckhorst.
Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel. com.
