Brunjes

Katherine J. Brunjes, of Bethel, Maine, after a courageous battle with cancer, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Nov. 1, 2012.

The daughter of Jean and Janet McIntire Brunjes of Norway, she was born in Brunswick, Maine, on March 23, 1953. She graduated from Brunswick High School, received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Maine and a Master’s degree in Library and Informational Sciences from the University of South Carolina.

For the last 13 years, Kathy served as the Director of Library Services at the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. She was nationally recognized in her field and served twice as chair of the Health Sciences Libraries Consortium in Maine, and also served as chair of the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries Board. Kathy received the Eleanor Cains Distinguished Medical Librarian Award in 2005 and was appointed by Governor Baldacci in 2011 as a Commissioner to the Maine State Library/State of Maine Library Commission. She was also instrumental in bringing the Maine Humanities Council Literature and Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health Care program to CMMC.

Kathy was an avid equestrian, logging more than 10,000 lifetime miles in endurance and competitive trail competitions. She competed throughout the United States and the world, including representing the United States in: Spain at the 2002, Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games; the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, at the 2008, President’s Cup; and, in Malaysia at the 2008, FEI World Endurance Championship.

In addition to being a renowned equestrian endurance competitor, Kathy also participated in governance of the sport. Since 2007 she served as a member of the United States Equestrian Federation Board of Directors and on numerous other committees. She was also active in the American Endurance Ride Conference as a committee chair and member. Kathy particularly enjoyed sharing her knowledge with others and was most proud of the junior and young riders she mentored, including a number in the Bethel area; Cricket Kelly, Lindsay Bean, Calla Orino, and India Orino.

Kathy is survived by her parents; her husband, Thomas Hutchinson; her son, Brandon Murray and wife Robin of Bath; her grandchildren, Jackson and Delia Murray; sister, Libby and husband Tim of Brunswick; her sister, Patricia Goodwin and husband Stuart of Norway; her brother, Jay Brunjes and wife Kelly Bentley Brunjes of Farmington; and nieces and nephews, Matthew, Margaret, Byron, Nicolas, and Jarod.

A memorial service celebrating Kathy’s life will be held on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Bath Senior Center, 45 Floral Street, Bath.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in Kathy’s name to the Eastern Competitive Trail Riding Association, c/o E. Tully, 209 Stone Chimney Road, Reading, Vt. 05062, or The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at Central Maine Medical Center, 29 Lowell Street, 5th Floor, Lewiston, ME 04240.