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Bruce Barnard was from El Paso, Texas, and was at Deerfield only during our sophomore year. His family owned the El Paso newspaper as I recall. Bruce was a hellcat and always enjoyed pushing the envelope, which is probably why he did not return for a second year. I (Josh) stayed in contact with him for a while and he visited me one summer when I worked in Wyoming on a dude ranch. He married once or twice and died (as best as I can remember) 25 years ago, but again if I am wrong (!) please let me know and I'll correct or supplement. He was a great guy with a terrific sense of humor.
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Roger Black
Remember Bruce well, as a kind pre-hippy, a non-conformist with real charisma and soul. Since he was from El Paso and I, from Midland, we had something in common. But I never heard from him after that yaer.
He died only six years ago, in 2009.
His father, Bruce Barnard Jr., was an executive and director of the El Paso Times, but I am not sure if the Barnard family owned the newspaepr.
Here is his obit from the El Paso Times, which tells a lot of his story. He ended up in Durango, CO, and sounds like he had a pretty good life.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/elpasotimes/obituary.aspx?n=bruce-barnard&pid=137503540
A shorter version of the obit, from the Durango paper.
http://www.durangoherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20091230/NEWS07/312309975&template=mobileart
Josh Fitzhugh
Since the hyperlink doesn't work from Class Creator, here's the obit from the El Paso paper. And OMG, if I had known Bruce was alive all these years I would definitely have tried to see him. I must have assumed (!) that anyone with his love of risk was not likely to survive into his sixties. Roger, thanks for correcting me. We should see if his wife would like to join us at reunion.
Here's the obit:
Bruce McCheane Barnard III, 61, was born in El Paso February 10, 1948, and died December 15, 2009 at home in Durango, Colorado. He attended El Paso High School, Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts and was among the first graduates of Coronado High School, Class of 1966. He obtained a pilot's license at the age of 16 and loved to fly his Maule airplane. After attending the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi, he returned to El Paso and was a reporter for the El Paso Times. He later transferred to the University of California at San Diego where he was a certified diver, played on the rugby team, studied physics and earned a B.S. in Philosophy. Bruce then assumed the responsibility of managing the Bruce M. Barnard Company, a trading post on the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico. He subsequently moved to El Paso where he was a dealer of fine Navajo textiles, a member of Coronado Country Club, an avid golfer and ardent University of Texas at El Paso basketball fan. Bruce later settled in Durango, where he raised a family and spent many happy days hiking and skiing at his favorite place, Electra Lake. While in Durango he formed an investment company, Tre Tse Rocks, and served as the secretary/treasurer for the Electra Sporting Club for many years. Adventure called Bruce to places as far away as New Zealand, Scotland and Antarctica. He loved enchiladas at Amigos Restaurant, his Irish and Gordon Setters, jazz on KTEP and the El Paso Symphony. He loved reading, especially Edward Abbey, observing wildlife at the lake and exploring the night skies with his telescope. Most of all, he loved his children and had a profound faith in God. Bruce made friends everywhere and will be greatly missed for his brilliant mind, keen insight, superb sense of humor and gigantic heart. He was preceded in death by his father, Bruce McCheane Barnard, Jr., his grandparents, Olga and Dorrance Roderick and Mary B. and Bruce M. Barnard, and his step-fathers, J. Clinton Bagwell and Robert Axelson. He is survived by his mother, Frances Roderick Axelson, his sisters, Frances Barnard and Mary O. Garcia (Richard), his former wives, Peggy Beckstrand Barshop and Sara Brandt Sheffield, his children, Courtney Shaleen, Bruce M. Barnard IV (Claire), Hayden Barnard-Huller (Charles), Elizabeth Kaupisch (Adam) and Raft Barnard, seven nieces and nephews and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Electra Lake, Colorado at a later date. Memorial contributions may be given in the name of Bruce McCheane Barnard III to El Paso Community Foundation, P. O. Box 272, El Paso, Texas 79943 or a favorite charity.
Published in El Paso Times from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22, 2009
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/elpasotimes/obituary.aspx?n=bruce-barnard&pid=137503540#sthash.WxZwgiVQ.dpuf
Jed Horne
Bruce was on our corridor (Pocumtuck II) during his time at Deerfield and reminded me of no one so much as James Dean: quizzical, disgruntled, a prickly intelligence that made him great fun to be around. He'd lounge on his bed most every evening — and all day Saturday — reading, kvetching, parsing the days events with sly humor. He'd deliver a barbed remark deadpan, eyes averted, and would then glance up quickly, grinning, to see if you had caught the irony. He was a real Westerner, I decided, never having known anyone else from the far side of the Hudson. We were sorry when he decided not to return after Christmas vacation (if memory serves) but not surprised. He needed wide open spaces and a 50-mile view to the horizon. - Jed