Colonel Bruce Elton Facundus, M.D. 1929-2012
Our Country lost a great humanitarian and patriot on the afternoon of May 16th, 2012. Colonel Bruce E. Facundus M.D., U.S. Army, Special Forces (Ret) died peacefully with his family present in his hometown of Helena, MT.
Bruce Facundus was born August 7, 1929 in Monroe, LA. where he grew up with his sister Edwina and brothers Jack and Derwood. Bruce attended Louisiana Tech University and upon graduation was accepted into Louisiana State University School of Medicine in 1954. He served his Internship in the United States Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base and his Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. While practicing medicine in Orlando, FL he met and married the love of his life, Carolyn Rowe. Bruce joined the United States Army and graduated from Jump School and the challenging Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, NC in 1961, serving as the group surgeon for the 7th Special Forces Group (ABN). Dr. Facundus opened a private medical practice and pursued his passion of healing throughout Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida and Montana for over 50 years. He retired from private practice in Orlando, FL and with his family moved to Helena, MT in 1980. In 1983 at the age of 54, he sought one last adventure and attended the U.S. Army Air Assault School where he earned the distinction of being the oldest soldier to successfully complete the classic course alongside the 18 year olds. Upon graduation Colonel Facundus served a 2 year deployment to Honduras as the Commanding Officer of Task Force 111, a large medical and civil action unit and logged over 800 hours as a Helicopter Pilot in UH-1’s “Hueys”.
Bruce loved polka music and dancing. He avidly pursued hiking, camping, and fishing in the pristine wilderness areas of Montana. He was a talented musician who played the piano, organ, guitar, accordion, and drums. He donated his time and resources to numerous charities and would quietly lend a hand to anyone who needed help. He was known to grab his doctor’s bag and visit the sick in their homes for nothing more than a thank you. Many people who needed emergency medical assistance sat at his kitchen table over the years where he sutured wounds, gave advice, and told jokes to keep their minds off the pain. He enjoyed good food, wine, and traveling to Germany. Bruce also enjoyed skiing with his family in Canada, France, Germany and his favorite, Big Sky Montana. He spent his later years riding his ATV with his family and exploring the Elkhorn Mountains, fishing in his “Bear Boat” and teasing his grandchildren with tales of talking bears, beavers and billy goats gallantly fighting trolls over bridges. Bruce was a Christian of strong faith who faced his final days with no fear, in high spirits, eating ice cream and telling jokes only hours before he passed.
Bruce’s wish was to be cremated and have his ashes scattered over the Elkhorn mountains along with those of his two favorite dogs, Angus and Hans. Bruce is preceded in death by his parents Lehde Bruce and Maggie Mae (Pevey) Facundus, Monroe, LA, his brothers Dr. Jack Facundus, Winter Park, FL and Dr. Derwood Facundus, Baton Rouge, LA. Bruce is survived by his sister Edwina “Sissy” Taylor (Gordon), wife of 50 years Carolyn Rowe Facundus, and children Lehde Bruce Facundus, Nancy Robinson (Larry), John Facundus (Amy), and Kelli Black (Ron), 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
As an old pilot we can only believe his last instructions were, “Fly heading 270, cleared to climb unlimited, frequency change approved, monitor guard.” You will be greatly missed Dad, God speed, rest in peace.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to his favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
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Debbie Kelley says
Carolyn and family, may you feel God’s embrace around you as you remember Bruce. My prayers for peace and comfort are with you.
allen wrobleski says
sorry for your loss, I just found out.i served under his command in Honduras he made a great impression on me.what a great leader.
johan benson says
I just finished writing a lengthier response and somehow it disappeared into the cyber void when I tried to send it. I’ll try a more abbreviated response and hope it succeeds in getting through though I doubt anyone will read it since it has been 7 years since his death.
Bruce and I were stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport Louisiana for a couple of years. I left the Air Force in 1958 and joined the ranks of students courtesy of the GI bill. Bruce was an amazing fellow he took me to witness an autopsy he had performed a the base hospital. I still have some 35mm photos of the poor airman who was killed when he fell off the wing of a B-47 bomber he was servicing on the ground. He also removed my tonsils
when they became infected.
I sought to contact him at this late date because I recalled I had loaned him a German souvenir P-38 pistol and leather holster I loaned him. It was given to me by a friend who got it as a souvenir in WW II. If it is still lying about among his things I would appreciate getting it back for my collection of firearms.
I also was curious to see what he had done with the rest of his life and was amazed to see that he had continued in the Army with the rank of colonel. I thought sure the civilian life would be his goal but I forgot what a curious and imaginative fellow he was.
I was sorry to hear of his passing and I would love to have heard him talk again of his adventures in life . I left the Air Force and went to school on the GI bill eventually settling in the Washington D.C. area working in the Congress as a legislative air and congressional investigator and having a few more modest adventures of my own in comparison to his own.
May God bless him for the many good works he performed in a wonderful life.
May God bless that wonderful fellow
johan benson says
4106 26th Road, North