Gary Brunell, 56, architect

Gary Brunell, of Wyndmoor, an architect, died of pancreatic cancer at home on Sunday, his 56th birthday.

Since 1984, Mr. Brunell had been an associate principal with Ballinger, an architectural firm in Philadelphia. As director of technology for the firm, he supervised complex projects, central to some of the firm's most significant buildings, said Terry D. Steelman, a Ballinger partner. He also researched new construction techniques and the implications of building codes on design, mentored and trained technical staff, and reviewed contracts with the firm's legal counsel, Peter Marvin.

"Terry was sharply analytical, seeing accurately the problems and then solving them," Marvin said. "If he decided to follow another less creative path, he would have been an outstanding lawyer."

Buildings Mr. Brunell worked on at Ballinger include Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Commerce Square Towers in Philadelphia, and the Merck headquarters in Upper Gwynedd.

He insisted on staying at Ballinger as long as possible after he was diagnosed with cancer in May, said his wife, Susan Brunell. He had projects to complete, she said, and work gave him a sense of fulfillment. He was very focused, she said, and left everything completely in order at home and at work.

Mr. Brunell grew up in Fonda, N.Y. In high school he stocked shelves in a food market and took the bus home every weekend to work in the market while attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. He earned bachelor's degrees in building science and in architecture from Rensselaer.

From 1976 to 1978, he was a neighborhood planner for the Philadelphia Planning Commission. His knowledge of city agencies would later prove invaluable when he was facilitating projects for Ballinger, Steelman said.

Mr. Brunell worked for six years for other Philadelphia architectural firms before joining Ballinger.

He and his wife renovated homes in Powelton Village, Chestnut Hill and in Wyndmoor, where he designed a two-story addition for their 1958 Colonial.

He was a history buff, his wife said, and enjoyed visiting museums in Washington and New York City with his family.

In addition to his wife of 31 years, Mr. Brunell is survived by sons Adam and Ian; his mother, Gladys Brunell; and a brother.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia.

Interment will be in the church memorial garden.