In Passing – November 2026

Robert Leroy Bruns

Bob Bruns, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on Sept. 21, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born on Feb. 9, 1938, in Stanley, North Dakota, Bob was the cherished son of John and Madeline Bruns. His early years were spent in the heart of North Dakota, where he developed a love for community and storytelling that would define his life.

Bob graduated from Hannaford High School in 1956, and it was during this year that he also married the love of his life, Dolly, on Nov. 30 in Dazey, North Dakota. Together, they embarked on a remarkable journey of 70 years, raising four children—Greg, Rob, Rich, and Shelly—and creating countless memories filled with love and laughter.

Bob pursued higher education at Morehead State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. This academic achievement laid the foundation for a distinguished career at the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), where he served as a Senior Evaluator/Auditor for over 30 years. Known for his meticulous work and integrity, Bob was instrumental in evaluating federal government programs and expenditures, including those related to health care and the Alaska earthquake relief in 1964. After retirement, he continued to share his expertise with Washington Automated, providing invaluable accounting and bookkeeping support.

A man of many passions, Bob thoroughly enjoyed coaching his children in baseball and basketball, later becoming their proud cheerleader as they pursued high school and collegiate athletics. He was an avid supporter of Seattle sports teams, including the Huskies, Seahawks, Mariners, and Supersonics, embodying the spirit of a true fan. His love for golf was unwavering, often playing rounds alone to savor the game at his own pace.

Bob’s humor and warm smile were legendary, always ready with a joke or a story from his childhood days in Hannaford. He had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel welcome and valued, and his kindness and generosity left an indelible mark on all who knew him. His natural ability to connect with people was evident in how he could easily find fellow North Dakotans, striking up conversations with ease and genuine interest.

Bob is survived by his devoted wife, Dolly, their four children and spouses Greg (Cindi), Rob, Rich (Tammy), Shelly (Eric), and his sister, Audrey. He leaves behind nine grandchildren—Colton, Damon, Mandi, Shawna, Nathin, Ashly, Hailey, Jacob, Daniel—who will forever cherish his legacy, along with nine great-grandchildren—Finn, Ronnie, Burke, Sienna, Ellie, Lexie, Declan, Noah, Rowan—who brought him immense joy in his later years. He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Lorraine and Mary, and brothers John Jr. (Dean), Gerald (Giggs), Raymond (Butch), and Duane (Punky).

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Nov. 6, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Saint Francis Aquinas Catholic Church at 13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale, AZ. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Mayo Clinic Phoenix and Hospice of the Valley for their compassionate care during Bob’s final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mayo Clinic Phoenix in Bob’s honor.

Bob Bruns will be remembered as a man of integrity, warmth, and boundless love, forever in our hearts.

Jane Theresa Cook

Jane Theresa Cook, 89, passed away on Aug. 24, 2026. She was born on Dec. 23, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pa.

At just 15 years old, Jane met her first love, Douglas “Doug” Marvin Cook, at a dance. Jane and Doug married when she was 19 and shared 53 wonderful years of marriage before Doug’s passing on May 14, 2009.

In 1994, while vacationing in Arizona, Jane and Doug surprised family and friends by purchasing a lot in PebbleCreek and designing their new home. PebbleCreek became far more than a place to live. It became their community, filled with friendships, traditions, laughter, and treasured memories.

Jane’s energy, leadership, and generous spirit shone through everything she did. She loved the theater and devoted more than 20 years to ShowTime Productions, serving as Backstage Manager before retiring in 2022. Affectionately known as “The General” or “Mother Superior,” Jane was organized, capable, and always prepared.

To those who knew her best, Jane was simply “The Woman Who Made It All Happen.” Whether backstage, in her community, or surrounded by family, she had a remarkable way of bringing people together and making sure every detail fell into place.

For 23 years, Jane was the heart behind PebbleCreek’s annual Christmas Day Potluck Dinner. She created and organized the event, building a wonderful team of helpers who worked beside her year after year. It grew into a beloved Christmas tradition that brought the community together and remained a great source of pride for Jane.

Jane also loved giving her time to her church and especially enjoyed working at the church thrift store, where she could serve others, visit with friends, and be part of the community she loved.

Above all, Jane loved her family and friends. Nothing brought her greater happiness than being surrounded by those she loved. She was especially excited for her family to gather this December to celebrate what would have been her 90th birthday.

Jane is survived by her sister; her children and their spouses; her grandchildren; her great-grandchildren; her great-great-grandson; and many family members.

Although her family will miss her more than words could ever express, there is comfort in knowing Jane is now at peace and reunited with the love of her life, Doug.

Together again, after all these years.

Theodore S. Ingalls Jr.

Theodore S. Ingalls Jr., 82, of Goodyear, Ariz., died peacefully on Sept. 18, 2026, due to complications from frontal temporal dementia.

He was born Aug. 10, 1944, in Detroit, Mich., as the only child of Ingrid (Johnson) Ingalls and Theodore Stanley Ingalls Sr. After the family moved to northern Ohio, Ted graduated in 1962 from Stow High School, where he excelled in several team sports and was elected class president.

He continued his passion for athletics at The Ohio State University, where he lettered in lacrosse and ice hockey, including leading as hockey team captain his senior year, while studying pre-veterinary medicine. Ted transferred to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he broke horses for a local rancher and discovered his affinity with the “Wild West.”

When Uncle Sam intervened with a draft notice during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy allowed Ted to finish a bachelor’s degree in anatomy and physiology, then immediately enter Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I.

Upon graduation, he was lowered by helicopter onto the deck of the U.S.S. Holder 819 as the destroyer’s new damage-control officer. The Sixth Fleet, based in Norfolk, Va., patrolled the mid-Atlantic and Mediterranean, monitoring Russian warships.

During a visit home on leave, Ted met, and 10 months later, in 1968, married Patricia E. Dilworth, a native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, beginning their 58-year union.

For his final billet, Ted’s newfound passion for an outdoor, Western lifestyle led him to transition to the Navy Reserves in Phoenix, where he negotiated military defense contracts until 1972, when the couple started their civilian, family life in Arvada, Colorado.

Ted’s military experience prepared him for a lifetime career in safety and risk management. In Colorado, he directed those areas for Denver Brick and Pipe Company (heavy manufacturing) and The Adolph Coors Company.

After the births of daughter Stephanie and son Theodore III, Ted moved to Dublin, Ohio, to work for Cobe Laboratories (medical appliances). Later Ted moved on to Battelle Memorial Institute (research and development) and then to the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, where he developed the bureau’s consulting process for businesses throughout Ohio. In 1998, Ted started his own risk-management and business-consulting firm, which he continued after relocating to Goodyear, Ariz., with Patricia.

Ted felt passionate about testing oneself physically (hiking, backpacking, camping, elk hunting, bicycling), learning new skills (woodworking, home and vehicle repairs, desert landscaping), and helping others grow (coaching athletes and business managers, young and old). He loved his country, as well as his ethnic heritage (Polish father/Swedish mother). His family was enriched and strengthened by his influence.

The communities where he lived also benefitted from his volunteer leadership. He was named onto citizen advisory boards (Arvada, Dublin, Goodyear) for input on long-range planning and on developing community centers, recreation complexes, and bicycle trailways. He served as boys athletic director/coach for Holy Family Catholic High School in Denver and coached Little League teams in Ohio. In his PebbleCreek retirement community in Arizona, he organized and coached its first women’s softball team, was named Volunteer of the Year by LifeLong Learning, volunteered to usher at MLB spring-training games, and started a group that pitched horseshoes weekly for years. He also completed two 100-mile “Century” bike rides. And, of course, he always rooted for his OSU Buckeyes.

Ted is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Patricia; his daughter, Stephanie (Matt); his son, Theodore (Tami); and his grandchildren Madeline, Wyatt, Truitt, and Taryn.

After a funeral church service and reception Oct. 19, Ted’s ashes were interred at Veterans National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.

Memorial donations may be made to Barrow Neurological Institute or to The Church at Litchfield Park.

Cheryl A. LaMotta

Cheryl A. LaMotta, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and longtime resident of PebbleCreek, passed away on June 21, 2026, at the age of 86.

Born on Feb. 2, 1940, Cheryl grew up in Grove City, Pa., and later graduated from Miami University in Ohio. For the past 27 years, she made her home in PebbleCreek, where she built a wonderful community of friendships and filled her days with the people and activities she loved.

Cheryl was truly one of a kind. She had a big, colorful personality to match the bright clothes and large earrings she loved to wear. She was outgoing, fun-loving, and almost always the life of the party. Those who knew Cheryl knew that when she was in the room, there was rarely a dull moment.

She loved staying active and social and could often be found on the golf course or enjoying a game of bridge, mahjong, samba, or just about any card game someone was willing to play. She was also a devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan and proudly cheered on her team through the years.

Above all, Cheryl loved her family and the many friendships she formed throughout her life.

She was the loving mother of Stacy LaMotta; Jami Kirkwood and her late husband, Kenny; Kent LaMotta and his wife, Margo. She was the proud grandmother of Jordan, Natalie, Brooke, Shane, AJ, and Luke, and great-grandmother of Gianni and Brody.

Cheryl will be remembered for her vibrant spirit, her sense of fun, her unmistakable style, and the energy she brought wherever she went. Her family and friends will miss her deeply, but there will undoubtedly be many smiles and stories whenever they remember the colorful life she lived.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, from 2–4 p.m. in the Chianti Room at the Tuscany Falls Clubhouse in PebbleCreek. In keeping with Cheryl’s personality, friends are invited to come together to celebrate her life, share stories, laugh, and remember the good times.

Please RSVP to Stacy LaMotta at stacylamotta77@gmail.com or by calling or texting 302-245-4262.

William (Bill) Stuart Wagner Jr.

Bill passed peacefully after a hard-fought battle with end stage kidney disease on Sept. 27, 2026.

He was a truly charismatic person from Quincy, Illinois. Bill was a 1965 graduate of QHS where he was a contra string bass player in the concert and stage bands, and the Blue Devil mascot. He served honorably in the United States Army 1968-1971, achieving SP5 Personnel Specialist and Expert—Rifle designation.

After his NATO service, Bill met and fell head over heels for Trish, who was a teacher in Quincy and they married on June 10, 1972, in Monticello, Iowa. Bill’s proudest thing in life was marrying Trish and having two beautiful daughters, Kelly and Stephanie.

Bill finished at Quincy College with a Bachelor of Science in Management in 1974. His first sales job was calling on new accounts throughout Iowa selling corrugated boxes. While there he became a 3rd Degree Master Mason.

His 34 years of greatest career achievements was in the automotive aftermarket industry. Bill launched his sales and marketing career at DFM/Deflecta Shield as VP of Sales & Marketing. As well, he had a consulting firm that built a multitude of automotive aftermarket companies throughout the country. His last 16 years was building WCP (Husky Liners) as VP of Sales & Marketing/Part Owner.

Bill loved the automotive aftermarket industry and devoted countless hours to SEMA, numerous committees, SEMA Board of Directors, and Chairman of the SEMA Show. Bill developed lifelong friendships with many in the industry. He had a few favorite sayings with his reps, “A sale without profit is a sale without honor” and “Keep Smil’n—Keep Sell’n.”

Bill loved hunting with his German shorthair pointers, trap shooting, field hunts, guns, RC airplanes, woodworking, and golf.

Bill is survived by his wife of 54 years, Trish Wagner, his true north star; daughters Kelly Wagner and Stephanie (Bobby) Kethcart; grandchildren, John and Charlotte; a sister, and two brothers.

Bill left every gathering singing “Happy trails to you—‘til we meet again!”

A Celebration of Life for family and friends was held Oct. 24 in PebbleCreek. A private Inurnment Service and Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Monticello, Iowa.

Memorials can be made to Quincy High School Fine Arts Program (orchestra) https://www.qpsfoundation.org/make-a-donation or SEMA Foundation scholarship https://netforum.sema.org/eweb/dynamicpage.aspx?webcode=SMScholarshipFundNoLogin.