Founder of Bruna Implement Dies at Age 98

Wilbur “Butch” F. Bruna, 98, of Hanover, Kan., passed away Friday, December 19, 2025, at the Hanover Hospital in Hanover.

Butch was born July 13, 1927, at his parents’ farmhouse near Bremen, Kansas, the son of Joseph and Eleanor (Nespor) Bruna. After graduating from Hanover High School, he worked as a welder in Hanover. Near the end of World War II, he was drafted into the United States Army and later released. He was drafted again during the Korean War and later returned home.

In 1947, Butch and his brother Floyd purchased the Case farm dealership and welding shop in Hanover, establishing Bruna Implement. In 1949, they were offered the opportunity to become an International Harvester dealer. Short on capital, they were joined by their brother, George, and the three became equal partners. In 1964, the business expanded with a second location in Marysville, followed by a third location in Washington in 1980.