Ernest Bruce Slade

November 17, 1918 - September 11, 2011 Ernest Bruce Slade was born to Ernest Bewley Slade and Cornelia Stewart at the Women's Hospital in New York City, almost one week after Armistice Day and the close of World War I. "Bruce" grew up in Newark, New Jersey along with his younger brother, Russell. Bruce was able to skip the fourth grade in school and excelled in his studies. He lost his mother on Good Friday, 1936 to pneumonia and worked hard to support the family during the Great Depression. Bruce later attended a night school program at Rutgers University, earning a Bachelor's degree in business administration and mathematics in 1942. During this time, Bruce developed an interest in horsemanship as a member of a New Jersey National Guard cavalry unit. Bruce was accepted into Naval Officer Candidate School at Northwestern University and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy shortly after the outbreak of World War II. He served in a variety of posts during the Pacific campaign, to include assignments on board the USS Sands, the USS Calamaries, and the USS Melina where he served as her Commanding Officer. Bruce was wounded in action during the battles of Guadalcanal and again during the battle for Okinawa. He even earned a commission as a Lieutenant with the Australian Navy while deployed to that country as a part of the Lend-Lease program. Following the end of World War II, for a short period of time, Bruce was attached as a liaison officer to the Chinese Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek. While serving in the Pacific Theater, Bruce began receiving letters from a young nursing student, Jeanie Wright Romaine, living in a boarding house managed by Bruce's aunt Vera. Aunt Vera asked her tenants to write deployed servicemen, including her nephew, to help the war effort and boost troop morale. Bruce and Jean fell in love through their correspondence and were married on April 27, 1946. After leaving active service with the Navy, Bruce worked for Shell Petroleum in New York while Jean worked in a Polio Hospital for children. Bruce continued his education earning a Master's Degree from Columbia University in 1947. Bruce and Jean were blessed with their first child, David Bruce Slade on April 18, 1949 and their second child, Kenneth Dale Slade, on November 3, 1950. While a young child, Dave began having chronic pneumonia and it was recommended that the family move to a drier climate. Bruce was hired by the Great Western Sugar Company in Denver in 1952 with a recommendation from soon to be President Dwight Eisenhower. Shortly after arriving in Colorado, the family moved into a small duplex near Alameda and Allison Streets in Lakewood. Bruce and Jean welcomed their first daughter, Cornelia Ann Slade into the world on January 27, 1954. That same year, the Slade's moved to a brand new house at 2260 Lewis Street in Lakewood with a $12,000.00 mortgage. Not long after becoming a Colorado resident, Bruce won a post as an Associate Professor in statistics at Denver University. The family welcomed their second daughter, Helen Kay Slade, into the world on November 3, 1957. As his professional life in Colorado picked up steam, Bruce became a partner in the firm Halverson Slade Inc., providing market research and advertising services to the regional business community. Bruce also did work for Rocky Mountain Dental Works in the area of market research in foreign nations. The family was blessed with their fifth child, Russell Wright Slade, on June 4, 1963. To provide for his growing family, Bruce moved his clan to a ranch house in Golden in 1970. Eager to strike out on his own, he bought Denver-based Straser Candy Company in 1974 and the Vincent Bar-None Company in 1975 where he served as President and CEO at both firms. In the final years of their lives, Bruce and Jean moved from their longtime home in Golden to a smaller residence in Arvada in 2004. Jean passed away on April 24, 2005, three days before their 59th wedding anniversary, after a long battle with cancer. Bruce and Jean were devoted members of St. John Chrysostom Episcopal Church in Golden where Bruce did ministry work and lead Bible study classes for the congregation. Bruce joined Jean peacefully on the morning of September 11, 2011 at his home as he was preparing to go to church. Bruce's legacy will be forever with those his life has touched and he will be greatly missed. Thank you Dad, for all that you gave us and the man you were. Memorial Service: Friday, 09/16/2011, 10 A.M. St. John Chrysostom Church 13151 W. 28th Avenue, Golden, Colorado In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John Chrysostom Church