Mary Ruth Fralix Bruner

OZARK…Mrs. Mary Ruth Fralix Bruner, a resident of Ozark, died early Friday morning, October 17, 2025, at her home. She was 84.

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with her son, Pastor Barry Clark and Chaplain Retired, Roderick Swanson officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends from 3:00 until 4:00 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.  Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Bruner, born to Harvey Fralix and Gladys Doggett Fralix, grew up in the small town of Pulaski, Tennessee, where her roots ran deep and her love for family and faith began to blossom. She carried the values of her upbringing with her throughout her life, no matter where she lived. Over the years, she made homes in Goose Creek, South Carolina, and Hamilton, Alabama, before settling in Ozark in the mid-1980s—a place that would become her beloved community.

In Ozark, Mrs. Bruner poured her heart into her work and her ministry. She was the proud owner of Bethany’s Florist & Gifts and the Living Word Christian Book Store, two businesses that reflected her creativity, her love for people, and her devotion to sharing God’s word. Whether she was arranging flowers for a wedding or helping someone find the perfect devotional, she did it with kindness, grace, and a warm smile.

As a pastor’s wife for forty-three years, Mrs. Bruner was a steady and loving presence in the lives of many. She wasn’t just a supportive partner to her husband—she was a teacher, a mentor, and a friend to countless people in her church and beyond. She had a gift for music and found joy in playing the piano and singing hymns that lifted the spirits of those around her. Teaching came naturally to her, whether she was guiding little ones in Sunday school or leading Bible studies for adults. Her faith was the cornerstone of her life, and she lived it out with humility and compassion.

Mrs. Bruner was a devoted member of House of Prayer Church of God in Ozark, where she worshipped faithfully and built lasting relationships with her church family. Her presence in the congregation was a source of comfort and inspiration, and her legacy continues to live on in the hearts of those she touched.

She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Bethany Clark, whose memory she carried tenderly in her heart. Though her passing leaves a space that cannot be filled, Mrs. Bruner’s life was a beautiful testament to love, service, and unwavering faith. In addition to her daughter, she was preceded in death by her siblings, JC Fralix, Billy Dean Fralix, Barbara Fralix, Jessie Wright Fralix, Brenda Jean Fralix, Wayne Fralix, Kernse Fralix, Estelle Fralix, and Francis Fralix.

Surviving relatives include her husband, Reverend Byron Earl Bruner; daughter, Melissa Bruner; son, Pastor Barry Clark (Karen), all of Ozark; three grandchildren, Payton Bruner, Ethan Clark (Shelby), and Anna Himes (Zack); great-grandson, Knox Clark; nieces, nephews, and cousins.