Courtney Brunn

Courtney Brunn, an icon of style and elegance whose nationally-recognized design work captured the spirit of California’s central coast region, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 25, 2017 at the age of 91. Courtney had made the Carmel area her home for over 60 years. In addition to her distinguished career as an interior designer, she was a noted retail entrepreneur, a strong-minded and independent businesswoman in an era when that was rare. When the downtown Carmel Plaza shopping center first opened in the early 1960’s, Courtney and husband Howard Brunn were among the first tenants, with their ladies apparel store Mark Fenwick. They subsequently grew the Fenwick name into five branch stores throughout northern California. Other retail projects followed: Raffles, Postergraphics, and the 1887 Shop. But the Brunns’ most ambitious retail project by far was Carmel Bay Company. Established in 1972 on a prominent downtown corner, Carmel Bay Company owed a great deal of its success to Courtney’s design and merchandising expertise. The Carmel Bay Company, still stands today as Carmel’s premier retail destination. In 1975 Courtney’s career as a designer was launched by her award-winning work on the Ventana Inn in Big Sur, lauded in Architectural Digest for its light-filled and airy interiors accented by wicker furnishings and handmade quilts that invoked a feeling of harmony with the natural surroundings of ocean, beach and forest. For the next 25 years she and designer Kipp Stewart continued to work as Ventana’s creative team, overseeing the Inn’s expansion into shops, a spa and a restaurant. Courtney is also known for her work on Carmel’s Sunset Cultural Center, where she is recognized, along with others, on a brass plaque in the Sunset Center Lobby. Along with her numerous residential and commercial clients as far away as Hawaii, Courtney will be remembered for her generous pro-bono service to many non-profit organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club, Hospice of Carmel Valley, and the Christian Science Reading Room of Carmel. Throughout her life she drew strength, inspiration and unwavering integrity from the teachings of Christian Science. Courtney is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Howard Brunn; daughters Vance Killen of Carmel, Karen Rees of Monterey, son Mark Brunn of Carmel, stepdaughter Robin Brunn Factor, grandson William Rees, and great-grandson Spencer Rees. In the words of Courtney’s children: “Courtney is my mother. She is my inspiration. She combines beauty and strength. She radiates style and speaks with a quiet wisdom. She will always walk beside me. She is my teacher.” She is my friend. She is my mother.” - Vance Killen “My mom had a timeless beauty with a beautiful heart full of love, grace, and inspiration. Mom led by example, by the way she lived and raised her children. A beautiful soul has gone to heaven. I love you Mom.” - Karen Rees “No man was ever blessed with having a better mother than myself. With her innate sense of style, moral fortitude, and a quick eye, she instilled in me brilliant life lessons and wisdom that are quite priceless and shall not be forgotten. Godspeed and much love, now and forever.” - Mark Brunn “You were more beautiful than a hawk flying, You were were faithful and a lion heart, You are earth and air, You are in the beauty of the ocean and the great streaming triumphs of sundown, You are alive and well in the tender young grass rejoicing when soft rain falls at night, and little rosy-fleeced clouds float on the dawn…” -Robinson Jeffers With love and gratitude the Brunn family wishes to acknowledge caregiver and case manager Ruth Juarez CNA, the angel who saw to Courtney’s every need and comfort. In lieu of flowers the Brunn family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 21 Lower Ragsdale Drive Suite B, Monterey CA 93940 or the Christian Science Reading Room Fund, Box 1850, Carmel CA 93921. Questions to [email protected] Service Information