School of Pharmacy Newsroom

In Memoriam: Class of '06 Alumnus Roy Brunson Remembered as Tireless Patient Advocate

Written by SOP Communications | February 16, 2023

Roy Dean Brunson, Pharm.D. class of 2006, passed away on January 15, 2023. He was born February 12, 1955, in Fort Hood, TX, and spent his early childhood in Hawaii.  Roy had several careers before choosing pharmacy. Most notably, he was a tennis pro at the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai, HI, where he met his wife, Carol.  

Roy Brunson, PharmD '06

After earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii (Manoa), he brought his family to Colorado to pursue his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. As a pharmacist, Roy found his true calling and was a proud graduate and clinical faculty member of the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.  He was a tireless advocate for his patients and prided himself on immunizing hundreds of individuals even before the COVID-19 pandemic.  When COVID-19 immunizations became available, Roy traveled to nursing homes around the State of Colorado to ensure the most vulnerable patients were vaccinated.  He was a compassionate, passionate advocate for his patients and the practice of pharmacy.

Roy is survived by his wife Carol, daughters Yoshiko and Keiko, and his son Roy Jr., siblings Patricia Houlton, Beverly Brunson, and Michael Ringler, and nieces Alyson and Lauren Godbey.