Obit of Bursell, William Robert - Comanche County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 18 Sep 2005 Return to Comanche County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/comanche/comanche.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Lawton Constitution 8 Jul 2005 William Robert Bursell COMANCHE -- Word has been received of the death of retired Maj. William Robert Bursell, 85, Comanche. A memorial service will be scheduled later at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. Maj. Bursell died Monday, June 27, 2005, at his home. He was born Aug. 7, 1919, in Minneapolis, to Glen and Delilah Hinton Bursell. He started his career in St. Paul, Minn., in the U.S. Army. He married Edith Ellen Clemmens in 1942 after basic training. He was sent to Europe to participate in the Normandy invasion. He received his battlefield commission as he pushed his way through Germany and France. He was a recipient of the French Croix DeGuerre, Legion of Merit from Gen. Charles de Gaulle, Bronze Star, EUMR Campaign Medal, World War II Victory AOM (Germany), AM Camp Medal Good Conduct and AOM/NAT Defense AM Defense. He took part in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Alcase, Rhineland and Central Europe military campaigns. After a long military career, he retired from the Army in 1961 and served 15 years as a chief of target acquisition specialties branch with the Centerfire Department of the Artillery School. He was also a private consultant with CSP Engineering in China for several years. He was a member of the Fort Sill Officer's Association, VFW and Atomic Veterans Association. Survivors include a sister, Delilah Duckworth, Modesto, Calif.; a stepson and daughter-in-law, Robert and Delores J. Gross, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; two granddaughters: Debra Gross Lyman, Fridley, Minn. and Sandra Wachsmuth and her husband, Robert, Palisade, Minn.; a grandson, Robert Gross Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.; five great-grandchildren: Jessica, Meschell, Maxwell, Bobby Jr. and Cody; a cousin, Florwein Cramer, Truman, Minn.; a close friend, Evie Stodola; neighbors, Carl and Rita Scott, Comanche; and several nieces, nephews and other cousins. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Comanche County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/comanche/comanche.html