John Bruce Weill

Bruce Weill was my uncle, son of Mary Lura Morgan and John Menaugh. Mary and John were married around 1946, after she divorced Ernest A. Weill III. She and John split around 1948, and she later got back with EAWIII.

Bruce, about 1949, back of photo says he's 2 yrs old

Bruce was born May 20, 1947. He placed on the Asperger spectrum, although Ana can speak more freely about his symptoms. Around 1963, EAWIII adopted Bruce and his last name became Weill.

Ana and Bruce in Pennsylvania, about 1949--this is the photo that Jude's pen and ink drawing is based on.

He entered the army and served in Vietnam. He started his tour in September of 1967. He died on March 24, 1968 in Hau Nghia Province, South Vietnam. The report on his service and death can be seen on any number of Vietnam Veteran's sites, like this one.  You can click on 'see full profile' to see more about his mission.

John Bruce Weill in uniform, about 1966/67, hand-tinted photo, by a Des Moines photographer

 He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, Vietnam Service, Good Conduct, and National Defense Medals.

I do not have an original newspaper clipping of his obituary. I do have this clipping about his Bronze Star, though.

He was a rifleman and specialist

Start with the obvious

Ana M. Weill and Kenneth E. Heichelbech are my parents.

Ana is the child of Ernest Alfonso Weill III (1921-1998) and Mary Lura Morgan (1921-1990). Her siblings are Rhoda, Larry, Ernie (all three living), and John Bruce (1947-1968).

EAWIII ("Grampere") was the child  of Ernest A. Weill II (1887-1948) and Jessie Glenn (1895-1923). Jessie died within a year of EAWIII's birth. Her death certificate says she died from  apoplexy.
EAWII remarried to Chessie Compton (lived about 1900- 1983).

Ernest A. Weill II - 1919

 Chessie Compton as an infant, 1900?

Mary L. Morgan ("Mother Mary") is the child of William Bruce Morgan (b. 1886) and Ruth Stemm (b. 1892).  Her siblings are William Bruce (died in 2015) and Diane (death date unkwown).

Mary Lura Morgan and her brother, William Bruce, date uknown

Mother Mary and Grampere, date unknown. It's rare to see a picture of them together. 

Ken is the child of Mary William Knott (1900-1985) and Wallace Heichelbech (1900-1975). His siblings are Jim (still living), Bill (still living), and Elizabeth (1933-1939).

Wallace is the son of Albert Heichelbech (1870-1942) and  Emma Asadore Scott (1874-1960).  His siblings are Blanch (b. 1899), Alberta (1906-1963), and Hazel (b. 1910). They also had 2 infants that died, one in 1905 and one in 1911.  I do not know anything about Emma Scott's lineage.

The author with Mary W. Knott (Grandma Heichelbech), 1980