The NCGA mourns the loss of Past President Frank Brunk.
Frank was born September 14th, 1926 to Esther and Frank Brunk, Sr. in Berkeley, California. He spent the first eleven years of his life in Mexico on his grandfather and father's 10,000-acre rice and wheat farm. Frank graduated high school in Willows, California where the family had moved after leaving Mexico.
Following college, Frank worked in the automobile industry, going into business with his father, having founded Brunk Leasing Company in Oakland, California. He was a trusted professional and dedicated community member. Frank was a long time Rotarian, President of Orinda Country Club, President of Northern California Golf Association, and Chairman of Cal Golf Committee.
Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and friend to many was the greatest example of integrity, generosity, humility, kindness, and love.
Frank was predeceased by his father, Benjamin Franklin Brunk Sr, mother, Esther Norton Brunk, and brother, James Donald Brunk.
Donations may be made to the Frank Brunk Golf Scholarship.
Make checks payable to:
UC Berkeley Foundation - memo note: Frank Brunk Golf Scholarship
Mail checks to:
Donor & Gift Services, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Suite 400, Berkeley, CA 94704-1070
Brunk, who served as NCGA president in 1991, was the recipient of the first Hall of Fame Service Award at Cal-Berkeley, an honor that recognizes a former student-athlete, coach, administrator or friend of Cal Athletics who has made an outstanding long-term contribution to ideals of the Athletic Department.
The award is presented to a deserving individual for demonstrating exemplary leadership and setting a standard for excellence in enhancing the Cal student-athlete experience. A three-year letterman for the Golden Bears football team from 1947-49, Brunk (seen in photo with Cal men's coach Walter Chun) once returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown against USC that helped secure Cal’s spot in the 1950 Rose Bowl.
However, his biggest impact on Cal Athletics may be through his three decades of work as chair of the Cal Men’s Golf Committee. In 1979, he led an effort to reestablish men’s golf as a varsity sport at the University – a vision that came true in 1982 – and he was a key factor in creating the Women’s Golf Committee. In addition, Brunk was instrumental in a fundraising effort to build a state-of the art practice facility for both programs that opened at Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland in 2007.