James Robert Brunner

James Robert Brunner, 69, of Knoxville, died Friday morning, Aug. 16, at Methodist Medical Center.

He was born Oct. 22, 1943, in Detroit, Mich., the oldest of five children born to George and Mary Louise Brunner. After graduation from Sacred Heart High School in Roseville, Mich., Jim served in the United States Marine Corps at the rank of sergeant.

Following military service as a Vietnam veteran, he received certification as an electronics technician and became service manager of Pecar Electronics in Detroit. Brunner went on to build a career in various areas of the audio-video industry in Los Angeles, California, and Knoxville.

From his earliest days as an underage dishwasher at Kay’s Kitchen in Roseville to owner and president of Pinpoint Marketing Inc., Jim Brunner loved to work. The consummate salesman, Jim developed Pinpoint Marketing from a product representative firm to a full-scale product development, sales, and marketing company with his son, Eric James. When not at work, Jim could be found boating on Fort Loudon Lake.

Preceded in death by his parents, Brunner is survived by his beloved wife Karen Lee Brunner; son Eric James and daughter-in-law Jessica Brunner of Powell; and siblings Richard Charles Brunner of Hemet, Calif., Catherine Jean Haugh of Roseville, Mich., Dawn Louise Kruger of Long Beach, Calif., and Robert James Brunner of Chino Hills, Calif. Remaining with loving memories are his siblings’ families and his five grandchildren, Victoria, Juliana, Eric Jr., Vincent, and Isabella.

In lieu of funeral services, a celebration of life for family and friends is being planned for a date to be determined. The family requests that any memorials be in the form of donations to the Methodist Medical Center Foundation in recognition of the exemplary care provided by the hospital during Jim’s illness.