Bruce's History
Gone But Not Forgotten
Captain Bruce M. Bertram, United States Air Force Academy Class of 1964, died of cancer in Sunnyvale, CA on February 8, 2000.
What can you say about Bruce Bertram? Bruce was an anomaly. He was a patent attorney who no one disliked. He was an engineer who shined his shoes.
How often do you meet someone who is as decent, loving, and caring as Bruce? Bruce would eagerly share his possessions, patiently listen to others, and remain calm when faced with adversity. He quietly utilized his intellect to educate, entertain and inform us. His clever and inquisitive mind was constantly at work, searching, analyzing and crafting ways to help others find their genealogical roots and missing kin through his web site. He was unselfishly available to help solve problems for his family and friends. He was an officer and a gentleman, a loving husband and father and considerate contributor to his community.
While living a very active life, Bruce developed back pain. It turned out to be a collapsed vertebra resulting from cancer. Over the next 15 months, the last span of his life, Dad and Mom fought a courageous battle, never losing hope, never losing dignity or integrity, using each other as a support team, and always looking towards the future.
Dad called his cancer "the gremlins" in an effort to lighten the mood and lessen our feelings of helplessness. After a gallant 15-month fight, the cancer overtook his mortal body and on February 8, 2000 he passed away, surrounded by 17 of his loved ones. His spirit will always surround us every minute of every day.
(Carol Bertram and Theresa Anderson [daughter], Gone But Not Forgotten, Checkpoints, Winter 2001)
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