Submitted by: Dan Rich
South Bend Tribune 12/30/1969
Louis V. Bruggner
Funeral services are set for 10 a.m. Friday in Holy Cross Catholic Church for Louis V. Bruggner, 69, local businessman and nine-year-member of the South Bend Community School Corp’s Board of Trustees, who died Monday in St. Joseph’s Hospital.
The family said Bruggner, brother of former South Bend Mayor Frank J. Bruggner, suffered a stroke at mid-afternoon Monday while working at his downtown store.
He was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. He died at 7:30 p.m.
Bruggner, 1667 Riverside Dr., owned and operated Bruggner’s Book Store, 127 W. Washington Ave., Bruggner’s Cigar Store and Restaurant, 110 N. Main St., and Bruggner’s Town and County Store in Mishawaka.
A Democrat, Bruggner became a charter member of the current Board of School Trustees with his appointment in 1962 by St. Joseph Circuit Judge Joseph W. Nyikos. He was re-appointed to a second term by Judge Nyikos in 1966.
Nyikos said today school board members have the responsibility to select a successor to complete Bruggner’s term, which runs until June 30 of next year.
School Board President Morton L. Linder was reported out of town and unavailable for comment on when a successor would be chosen.
Bruggner was born Dec. 27, 1900, in South Bend, the son of Nick and Pauline Futter Bruggner, who came to this country from Germany in the 1880s.
He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was graduated from South Bend High School in 1918. He attended the University of Illinois for one year and later earned a degree in Journalism at the University of Notre Dame. He was secretary of the 1923 Notre Dame graduating class.
On April 24, 1924 he married Virginia Hull, who survives with their son, G. William, and daughter, Mrs. W. J. (Margaret) Kluessner, both of South Bend.
Other survivors include his brother, Frank; two sisters, Miss Hildegard Bruggner of South Bend, and Mrs. Zita Teschner of Denver, Colo.; nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
After graduation, Bruggner worked for three years as a reporter for the former South Bend News-Times. He purchased what was then known as Gardner News Agency in 1929.
In 1948 Bruggner wrote an advertisement announcing his store’s annual white elephant sale. That ad later was to be ranked by a nationally known advertising executive as “one of the 100 greatest advertisements ever written.”
Bruggner served as president of the school board in 1964-65. For four consecutive years, including this last fall, he represented the school board on the St. Joseph County Tax Adjustment Board.
He was past president of the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley, was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus, and also held membership in the Elks, South Bend Country Club and Indiana Club.
Rev. William Neidhart, C.S.C., church pastor, will officiate at services. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery.
A prayer service has been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the McGann Funeral Home. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The family said memorial contributions may be sent to the Fatima Retreat Home.
Active pallbearers are Judge Nyikos, Leonard Menucci, James White, Edward Kreimer, Gene Futter and Joseph Woodka.
Honorary pallbearers will include the other members of the school board, Linder, J. Chester Allen Sr., Dr. Gladys Frith, Howard Goodhew, Paul J. Ivankovig Jr., and John C. Wagner; also, School Supt. Donald A. Dake, Thomas Bath, Neal Welch, Dr. George Green, Dr. Chester Wright, Dr. G. A. Bowyer, Dennis Miller, Jack Lloyd, and Milton A. Johnson.