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Notes for BRUCE LEE WILSON:
Bruce, the third born child to the family, was a budding individual beginning to discovery his adult abilities when struck down in the very prime of his life at age 19. He, like those before and those to come after him, enjoyed sports, music, and the carefree life of the 1950's. A strapping young man, he was into the newest form of music sweeping the land; rock and roll. In the week before his death in early February of 1959, he was the one who told me of Buddy Holly, J. P. Richardson, and Richie Valens meeting their deaths in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. And it was he who, along with his girl friend, was content to watch the Marathon High School basketball team play on the Friday night before his death early the next morning at home. By today's standards, it would have been a very boring date, but he was satisfied with that.
Bruce had joined a local branch of the Civil Air Patrol just prior to his death. He knew that he would never be accepted into active military service due to a head injury sustained during a junior high school basketball game. The resulting injury had left him with light induced seizures which nearly rendered him helpless for moments. It is likely that one of these seizures while breaking ice in the cattle water tank led to his untimely death. A light covering of snow and early morning frost combined with bright sunshine, undoubtedly were the perfect mechanisms for triggering such a seizure. When his body was discovered floating in the cattle tank, he was immediately removed by Oscar and Keith and artificial respiration was started. Unfortunately, medical rescue methods of the day prevented a successful resuscitation.
He was laid to rest in the Marathon cemetery next to his grandfather, Arthur.
Bruce 1958
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