Stephen Claycomb Bruner was born in Chicago on November 11, 1941.  He grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, as the middle of five brothers. In high school, he participated in three sports, was co-valedictorian of his class, and made lifelong friends.  Steve attended Yale College, graduating in 1963. He then spent a year abroad with the Corning Traveling Fellowship, visiting India, Nigeria, and Brazil, among other countries. After his fellowship, he attended Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude. In 1968 he volunteered for the US Navy, and was sent to Naval Supply School in Athens, Georgia. With typical self-deprecation, Steve liked to say that his position as a naval officer put him in charge of a BMD—a "big mahogany desk."

He finished his naval service in 1972 and went to work at the law firm Winston & Strawn. During this period, friends introduced him to his future wife Beth. They were married in Washington DC in 1973 and eventually settled in Oak Park, Illinois, where they raised their two children, Elizabeth and David.  In addition to his legal career, Steve spent eight years on the District 200 school board and was active in a variety of community and civic organizations.

Steve retired from Winston & Strawn in 2001 and enjoyed an amazing 'second act' in retirement. He became fluent in Italian, enrolled in graduate school, and obtained a PhD in modern European history with a focus on Italy. His frequent trips to Italy with his wife and family were a source of great joy and intellectual stimulation. He became an expert at finding, deciphering, and photocopying Italian newspapers, periodicals, and journals from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His dissertation was on Italian colonialism and was eventually revised into a book, Late Nineteenth Century Italy in Africa: The Livraghi Affair and the Waning of Civilizing Aspirations (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017). He also published several articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Steve was a lifelong Christian of deep faith and learning. He served in ministry in a wide variety of ways, including teaching Bible study, visiting the sick and homebound, and serving as an elder. He loved to read theology and could often be found in his armchair at home reading works by Lesslie Newbigin, Reinhold Niebuhr, Stanley Hauerwas, and many others. Perhaps most importantly, Steve's faith was evident in his kind and Christ-like character. He was caring, patient, and gentle, possessed of a sense of poise and equanimity that only rarely deserted him. He was a devoted spouse to Beth for 53 years, and a loving parent to his children Elizabeth and David.  He took great joy in his expanding family and became a gentle and affectionate father-in-law and grandfather. He had a delightful sense of humor that buoyed him through hard days, and which he often deployed to lower the temperature in moments of stress or conflict. He had a quiet but fierce determination when he put his mind to something, whether it was swimming laps, mastering a new hymn on the piano, winning at Hearts, or perfecting his apple pie recipe.

Steve passed away from Parkinson's Disease on June 8th, 2026. He died at home, at peace, and surrounded by his family's love. Steve's family expresses their deep gratitude for his caregivers, especially David Tembo and Teta Vundamina, who did so much to improve his quality of life these last several years. Steve is survived by the love of his life, Beth Bruner; children Elizabeth (Michael) Bruner, and David (Becca) Bruner; grandchildren Elizabeth, Eleanor, Benjamin, and Margaret; brothers Philip (Margee) and Robert (Bobbie) Bruner; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest on Saturday, July 18th, at 11 am. A lunch reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to the National Parkinsons' Institute or First Presbyterian Church of River Forest would be appreciated.  Arrangements entrusted to Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home. For info 708-F-U-N-E-R-A-L.