Our condolences to the Spaulding family, the Bourbonnais Fire Department, and the Bradley Fire Department of Illinois. FireFighter/EMT Bruce Spaulding, a 24 year veteran firefighter died Saturday April 26, 2003. Bruce was mowing the Armour Road Fire Station lawn when the mower he was riding went over a retaining wall. Bruce was thrown from the mower and sustained a head injury. He was transported to Provena St. Mary's Hospital in Kankakee and later airlifted to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood where he died later that afternoon.

     Bruce was a 21 year veteran of the Bradley Fire Department of Illinois, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant. After retiring he moved to Bourbonnais where he joined the Bourbonnais Fire Department in 2000. He had also been teaching a two year fire/rescue course to high school juniors and seniors at Kankakee Area Career Center since the mid-1990s.

     Our brother Bruce leaves behind his wife Denise and two adult children. A visitation for Bruce will be held Thursday May 1, 2003 2-8PM at Schreffler Funeral Home in Bourbonnais. There will also be a visitaion at the church from 9AM till the start of the funeral on Friday May 2, 2003 10AM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kankakee, followed by a burial at Memorial Gardens in Kankakee. Memorial donations can be made to the children's education fund or to the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District at: