Jesse Daniel Bruns, age 45 of Madison, South Dakota, joined his loved ones in heaven on February 20, 2024, at his farm near Madison, South Dakota.
Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, February 26th at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with Father Anthony Urban as the Celebrant.
Visitation was held on Sunday at Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel and continued on Monday followed by procession to the church for mass. Burial was held at Lake Madison Lutheran Cemetery, rural Rutland.
Jesse’s family strongly encourages memorials be sent instead of flowers. Please send memorials for Kade & Jace Bruns Trust at First Premier Bank, 202 NW 2nd St., Madison, SD 57042.
On October 6, 1978, Jesse was born the middle child of three to Dan and Linda (Bachmann) Bruns of Madison, SD. Jesse graduated from Madison High School in 1997 and attended Dakota State College in Madison where he played his favorite sport, football.
We all loved number 38, Jesse’s football number that was retired from Madison High School. Jesse’s sons wear the number 38 on their jerseys today. Jesse left college to pursue his dream of raising Registered Angus cattle with his dad.
Together Jesse and Dan built a successful Angus herd for over 40 years. An annual bull sale is held at the farm every year in March, but sadly, he will not be there this year. Jesse was a member of the American Angus Association. He also assumed the dealership for Gallagher Fence. Jesse was also employed at Madison Livestock, Madison, SD, for 30 years where he gained the respect and trust of many cattlemen.
Jesse was highly respected in the cattle business throughout South Dakota. Jesse was a kind and generous man with the ability to talk to anyone and make friends. His smile was contagious and anyone who met him became his friend.
Jesse was an avid fan of SDSU and the Madison Bulldogs and he rarely missed an event his sons were involved in. He loved coaching both of them in football and baseball (as his dad stated I think he is reliving his high school years through his boys). With all of that being said, Jesse’s sons were his pride and joy.
Jesse is survived by his wife, Kari (Heinricy) Bruns; 3 sons, Kade and Jace Bruns and John Callies; mother, Linda Bruns; brother, Don Bruns (niece Witten Bruns) and sister Kaylynn Bruns (nieces Addison and Paislee Cooney) all of Madison, SD; mother and father-in-law, Jim & Alana Heinricy; brother-in-law, Adam Heinricy (Abi Plawman) of Sumner, WA; his “adopted brother” (cousin) Matthew Bruns; aunts & uncles, Kevin and Crystal Manthey, Dawn Holley, Ron Bruns, Gary Bruns, Bill (Diane) Bruns and Keith Gates and several cousins and his dogs Jack and Ruby.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dan (2019); grandparents, Don & Ardeth Bachmann and Eldyn & Ellen Bruns; brother in-law, Chad Cooney and aunts, Gloria Gates and Gwen Bruns and his two dogs Bull and Lucy.
There were many things Jesse was passionate about and the ones we will always remember him for are his love for his boys, his family, his dogs, and his love for the cattle business.
