RH Bruns Vault and Monument, located in Pacific, Missouri, has been in business since 1916 and serves the funeral industry with monuments, cemetery caretaker, and graveside services.
Robert Bruns emigrated to Pacific from Germany in 1885, started a flower business, and built a house and large greenhouse. As part of the flower business, he served the funeral business. When Robert died in 1916, August Bruns took over the operation of the greenhouse business and was named the city sexton and began selling headstones, and founded R.H. Bruns Monument Company in June 1916. August later purchased the site at 206 S. Fourth St. and built a monument shop and moved the greenhouse to the property.
August served as sexton for 58 years from 1916 to 1974. August’s son, Raymond Bruns, led the family business for 14 years from 1974 to 1988. For over 32 years, Alan Bruns has operated the monument business and served as the city sexton from 1988 to now, becoming the fourth-generation cemetery caretaker and grave opener.
Starting in March of 2022 Andrew Bruns took over the operation of the monument company and grave digging service. Andrew has been making monuments since 2010 and is the fifth generation of monument makers.