J. Joseph Brune Jr., longtime Loyola Blakefield football coach, dies

John Joseph Brune Jr., Loyola Blakefield’s longtime football coach and teacher, died of pneumonia on Nov. 24 at his Rodgers Forge home. He was 91.

Known as Joseph or Joe, he was born in Baltimore and raised on Kernewood Ave. His father was J. Joseph Brune Sr., president of Ramsay Scarlett Co., and his mother was Mary E. Doran. He attended St. Mary of the Assumption School and graduated from Loyola Blakefield, where he played football. He earned a degree at Bucknell University, where he befriended George Young, a fellow athlete and football player.

He joined Liberty Mutual Insurance for a year, but did not like the work. His college friend, George Young — who was coaching at Baltimore City College and was later the New York Giants general manager — suggested that Mr. Brune join the faculty.

Mr. Brune took up his friend’s suggestion, taught at City College and was coach of its undefeated junior varsity lacrosse and football teams in 1959. He went on to coach City College to the 1962 Maryland Scholastic Association lacrosse championship at Homewood Field.

In 1967, he became an English teacher at what was then Loyola High School at the Blakefield campus. He was head football coach and also briefly coached lacrosse.

Mr. Brune remained at Blakefield for 35 years.

The school president, the Rev. Dennis M. Baker, a Jesuit priest, said, “As an English teacher and English Department head, he guided students with the same care and conviction that defined his coaching.

“He believed deeply in the power of language, of story, and of each student’s ability to grow into their fullest potential,” the Rev. Baker said. “As a college counselor, he offered steady encouragement and wise counsel to young men navigating one of the most formative moments of their lives, helping them discern their paths beyond Blakefield.”

Mr. Brune led the Loyola Dons to five MSA/MIAA conference titles and 19 Turkey Bowl victories over rival Calvert Hall College High School.

Bill Korrow, a longtime Loyola teacher, coach and colleague, said, “He was thorough in his preparation for a game. After the previous weekend game, we coaches met at 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings to watch film. Joe put a tremendous amount of work into his preparation for the upcoming opponent. He was also very good at helping boys challenge themselves.”

After retiring, Mr. Brune volunteered to teach public speaking and English at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, a school for boys from underserved neighborhoods.

“My father was serious but he also had a humorous side. He was a good judge of character, was a man of faith and was definitely a family man,” said his daughter, Dr. Kieran Brune. “His favorite authors included William Faulkner, William Shakespeare and Brian Doyle. Amazon was constantly at our door delivering books. He was always reading.”

In 2015, a memorial bust was unveiled in his honor on the school’s playing field. Mr. Brune was inducted into the Maryland Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999. He received Loyola’s highest alumni honor, the Rev. Joseph M. Kelley Medal, in 2010.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Sheila Margaret McGlone; five daughters, Meaghan Davis, of Gainesville, Florida, Gillian Brune, of Portland, Oregon, Caitlin Brune, of Santa Cruz, California, Moira Thomas, of Baltimore, and Dr. Kieran Brune, of Baltimore; two sons, Sean Brune, of Baltimore, and Colin Brune, of Birmingham, Alabama; a sister, Sister Virginia Marie Brune, of the School Sisters of Notre Dame of Baltimore; two brothers, David Brune, of South Bethany, Delaware, and Jerome Brune, of Baltimore; 14 grandchildren and a great-grandson.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 2 at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, 740 N. Calvert St.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jkelly@baltsun.com.

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