Posted on 02/08/2003 6:44:07 PM PST by RightOnline
I received an email early this morning from a stranger.........a stranger who sought me out to tell me that an old high school buddy had died, quite suddenly, of a heart attack.
No, he wasn't famous. His name was Bruce Parker. We went to high school together in the early '70's in Huntsville, Alabama. Being close to the Tennessee border, a few of us would often get together and drive across the border to some little bar or liquor store (the drinking age was 18 in Tennessee in those days; you know, before Uncle Sugar blackmailed everyone into raising it to 21) that had a rather lax view of "ID verification". Bruce was handy to have along because he was a lot of fun, but also looked 30 when he was 17.
He once had a letter sent home to his parents explaining how he had no aptitude whatsoever in math. To this day, I'm not sure if whoever wrote that letter was trying to suggest that he pursue a career in one of your better bowling alleys, but the letter was sent, nonetheless.
We had our respective tempestuous relationships with pretty blonde girlfriends. We wondered if the Vietnam War would be over when we graduated in '73. We were hooked on Monty Python and loved a good cigar.......smoked in the privacy of some of the surrounding woodlands with other buddies, maybe with some Bacardi to wash down the smoke.
After graduation, I left for the Air Force Academy; Bruce decided to stay in Huntsville and attend the University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH). Somehow, and I've forgotten the details, Bruce wound up working in some physics lab.
Well, who'd have guessed........except those of us who knew just how damned smart Bruce really was; he got hooked on physics, got into lasers, built one particular laser that was the largest of its kind that was actually made to "lase", built quite a name for himself, and spent the next 25+ years as a physicist and businessman in the defense community. He was heavily involved in "Star Wars" efforts. He was unable to tell me, close as we were, what he was specifically working on, but he was always, always calm and reassuring about the strength and security of our country. I remember, especially during my Air Force pilot days, just how reassuring talks with Bruce would be.
Bruce had gone through a horrible experience in his first marriage (with that pretty blonde girlfriend from high school), but eventually struck gold by marrying the sweetest, most charming little redhead you ever would meet. They had some great kids........and as his income rose significantly due to his now-executive level position at what he described as "a God-less defense contractor", built a big, beautiful house atop Monte Sano on the outskirts of the Huntsville city limits. I remember sitting on the expansive back deck, a wall of windows behind us, a 35+ mile view.....heartstoppingly beautiful.....in front of us; sipping Crown Royal and bitching about how hard we worked, what we'd do with our lives next, and how incredibly lucky we were to have the women that we had.
Bruce was a curmudgeon's curmudgeon. A large man, most were intimidated by him. He was the bane of doctors. He would tell a doctor who would dare to tell him to stop drinking scotch (no, he wasn't an alcoholic; he just loved scotch) to pound sand in no uncertain terms. Crusty guy........but ungodly funny if you knew him. Bruce could make me laugh like few others, and I'm one of the few with whom he withheld the cranky-old-fart act.
He was a terrific father, a wonderful husband and provider, and a brilliant physicist. He contributed more to the defense of this country than most will ever know.
What I do know is that Bruce suddenly, at the age of only 47 years, had a heart attack in his kitchen on Thursday evening and died instantly.
I'll miss him.
RIP Bruce Parker.
Welcome.
A Curmudgeons prayer for your friend.
My condolences. My sister died the same way, at the same age (47), leaving behind 4 daughters (one still in elem. school) and several grandkids. It's always hard for us to understand sudden, untimely death. We learn to live with missing them daily and try to make our own lives better. Wishing your good memories will soon take over the sad part.
My prayers are with you and Bruce's family in this time of sorrow.
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