Dan Bruns

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Daniel “Dan” Bruns, age 68, of Madison, joined his loved ones on April 7, 2019 at the Madison Regional Health System after fighting a courageous 2 ½ year battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Dan was born the youngest of five children on November 1, 1950 to Eldyn and Ellen (Larson) Bruns.  He was baptized and confirmed at Lake Madison Lutheran Church.  In 1969, he graduated from Madison High School and shortly thereafter, he was drafted by the US Army.  After basic training, he received a medical discharge and returned home to farm near Madison with his dad.  On August 19, 1972, he married Linda Bachman.  Dan partnered with his brother, Ron in 1972 and began raising registered Angus cattle in Baltic, SD.  Dan and Linda moved back to Madison in 1978 and continued to grow their Angus herd and began farming again with his Dad and brother, Bill. 

With the help of his sons, Dan has held an annual bull sale at his farm north of Madison and sadly, Dan attended his last bull sale on March 6, 2019.  He was a lifetime member of the American Angus Association and was honored recently by the SE Angus Association for his distinguished service and relentless dedication to the Angus Breed and the Southeast SD Angus Association.  For 25 years, Dan has been a dealer of Gallagher Fence Systems.

He was an avid Twins baseball fan, along with the Minnesota Vikings, SDSU sports and the Madison Bulldogs.  He rarely missed a school event that his children and now grandchildren are involved in.  In his younger years, he played fast-pitch softball.  He enjoyed bowling on men’s and mixed leagues with his wife until his health began to decline.  He especially enjoyed coffee in the morning with his friends at the Ramona Elevator.  Dan is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison and has been on the Farmington Township Board for many years.  There were many things that Dan was passionate about and the ones he will be remembered for are his love for his family, his grandchildren, his dogs and his love of the Angus breed.  

Thankful for sharing his life are his wife of 46 ½ years: Linda (Bachmann) Bruns, of Madison; three children: Don Bruns, Jesse (Kari) Bruns and Kaylynn (Chad) Bruns-Cooney, all of Madison; his grandchildren: Kade and Jace Bruns and Addison and Paislee Cooney, all of Madison; three brothers: Ron Bruns of Baltic, Gary Bruns of Floresville, TX and Bill (Diane) Bruns of Madison; two sisters-in-law and two brothers-in law, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Don and Ardeth Bachmann; sister, Gloria (Bruns) Gates and sister-in-law, Gwen Bruns. 

His funeral service will be at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 15th at Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. Constanze Hagmaier officiating.  Visitation will be 3-7 PM on Sunday at Weiland Funeral Chapel with the family present from 5-7 PM concluding with a prayer service at 7 PM.  Visitation will continue on Monday one hour prior at the church.  Burial will be in Lake Madison Lutheran Cemetery at a later date.