SEMO icon Charlie Brune passes away

Although he lived a long and rewarding life, I was still saddened by the death of SEMO athletic icon Charlie Brune.

Brune, the patriarch of what is regarded as the first family of SEMO football whose involvement in SEMO athletics spanned more than 60 years, passed away Friday at the age of 88.

Brune played football at SEMO in 1940 and 1941 under legendary coach Abe Stuber. He had two sons, Greg and Lance, and three grandsons, Brent, Brian and Bobby, who also played football at SEMO.

Brune helped establish the SEMO Athletic Booster Club in 1953, served as Booster Club president from 1976 through 1982 and remained heavily involved with the Booster Club after his days as president.

I originally got to know the entire Brune family well quite a few years ago through my coverage of Charlie's grandsons when they played sports first at Central High School and later at SEMO.

What stands out the most to me about Charlie was the warm smile, hearty laugh and firm handshake he greeted me with every time we'd run into each other.

What also stands out to me is seeing Charlie every year at the annual Booster Club Barbecue in August that serves to kick off the SEMO sports year. His warm smile, hearty laugh and firm handshake were also a fixture at those events that he never missed until his health began to fail him in recent years.

Charlie was simply one of the sincerely nicest guys I ever met and I don't recall ever hearing a bad word about him. He will be missed.