Former ENMU professor Brunsen dies

When describing his late friend and colleague Bill Brunsen, retired Eastern New Mexico University business Professor Gerry Huybregts said the former ENMU professor never did anything for himself.

“He did it for the students, college and university,” Huybregts said. “That was his motivation.”

Brunsen, who was a former professor of finance at the university, died Saturday. He worked for ENMU from 1987 to 2011.

He was a member of the “three amigos” in the College of Business, according to Kathie Rolston, dean secretary, which consisted of Dale Davis, Gerry Huybregts and himself. Rolston described the three men as best friends as well as the backbone of the COB.

The three men celebrated ENMU’s 75th birthday by writing a book “Informal History of Business Education at Eastern New Mexico University.”

Rolston said she was proud to know all three men, who were deeply dedicated to the university.

ENMU officials said Brunsen was an asset to ENMU and it’s students not only in the classroom but also as the leader of the honorary organization Delta Mu Delta.

He activated the chapter at ENMU and served as the president, vice-president and on the board of directors at the national level of the organization.

Brunsen was well known for his generosity and willingness to help students. He would drive students to the job fair in San Marcos, Texas, on his own time and in his own van, just to allow the students to have more opportunities after graduation, according to Huybregts.

“Bill would look for toys on sale, starting in January, and buy them all year and donate them to a children’s homes or church... I suspect he would literally give you the shirt off his back,” said Huybregts.

Huybregts also credits Brunsen, as a recruiter for professors, for his moving from Los Angeles to Portales.

“Bill would call me and tell me ‘Look outside; can you see the stars? If you were here, you could,’” he said.

Brunsen could also be found at home games for most of ENMU’s athletic teams, according to his former colleagues.

“He was a supporter of ENMU,” said Huybregts. “He encouraged his freshmen classes to go to the games as well.”

“Just showing up (for class) was not enough; you had to perform. He was trying to prepare students for being in the business world,” said Huybregts.

Skylar Hodson, a former student taught by Brunsen, said Brunsen and Davis were not only teaching classes but trying to teach students how to behave professionally.

“Dr. Brunsen was one of those guys that was really rough around the edges, but once you got to know him, he was one of the most caring people. He cared a lot about his students at Eastern” Hodson said.

Corey Cole, another former student of Brunsen’s, described him as “a very tough and knowledgeable professor.”

“He tried to incorporate his private experiences into the lessons for class,” said Cole.

“He wanted to prepare you for the real world, and that’s probably what I appreciated most about him,” said Hodson.

“We miss him a lot. When he retired, he left a huge hole here” said Rolston.

Huybregts said there is a scholarship in the works to honor Brunsen, the William Brunsen Memorial Scholarship.