CHS Distinguished Alumni
Edward C. Bruce
Class of 1938
Edward Cooper Bruce graduated with an Electrical Engineering Degree from Oklahoma State University in 1942. He was commissioned into the Regular Army, Corps of Engineers, as an honor graduate of ROTC. He served thirty years in the Army Engineers in World War II, Korea and in South America. He was the District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers in the Wall Walla, Washington District, in the Mobile, Alabama District and the Detroit, Michigan District. Through these assignments, he tamed wild rivers with flood control projects, kept major inland waterways navigable on the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes, remapped much of the continent of Central to South America, after the first orbiting satellites markedly improved mapping technology, and built roads, bridges and airfields throughout Africa and Italy during World War II. He retired as a Colonel in 1972 as the Engineer for the Army, Air Force Exchange Service Worldwide.
In 1972 he entered a second career when becoming Director of Engineering for Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City. He represented the hospital during the construction stages and was their engineer for twenty years.
During his Army career, he attended many schools furthering his education. Some of these were: Engineer Advanced Course, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M, Graduate of the Command and Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, Masters Degree in International Relations from George Washington University.
He was active in the Putnam City Christian Church in Oklahoma City, serving many years as elder, Sunday school teacher and church leader.
Edward died February 9, 1994. He is remembered by his family not as a great man following the world's definition of greatness, but as a man of integrity, compassion, generosity and love for his family, God and Country.
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