Carl Franklin Brunenkant

September 19, 1932 - July 28, 2014

Carl Brunenkant passed away on Monday at the age of 81. An All-State football player at Florence High School in 1950, Brunenkant attended the University of Arizona after an injury kept him from playing for ASU. He earned a Master's Degree and then began teaching at Salpointe.

While at Salpointe, Brunenkant coached football, basketball, track and cross country and led the Lancers to their first-ever "City Championship" in cross country before moving over to Sunnyside in 1957.

He remained at Sunnyside for 28 years as an educator, coach, athletic director and principal. He led the Blue Devils to a boy's cross country championship in 1966. He became the first principal of Desert View in 1985 before going back to Salpointe to be their athletic director and then, finally to Flowing Wells before he retired in 2008.

He earned Athletic Director of the Year honors and was one of the major forces behind Special Olympics in Arizona. He is also a member of the Pima County, Sunnyside and Salpointe Halls of Fame.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years (Mary) and five sons, John (Roseanne), Barry (Honor), Mark (Lucinda), Tim (Annette) and Jim.  He also had ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

One of his sons, Mark Brunenkant, is the current head football coach at Flowing Wells.

PHOTO: Carl Brunenkant at Salpointe in 1956. (School photo)