THE WALL OF FACES

Bruce was a leader at Glenbard West in Glen Ellyn on the Football and Wrestling teams. I was a fellow wrestler and admired him greatly. Now as a fellow officer and Viet Nam veteran I offer a "Class A" salute to a true hero. He was one of a kind.

Remembering back to Glenbard West High School I recall a picture on the wall in the gym of a former
football player who was killed in Vietnam. I was a junior at the time. Within 2 years I was also a
Marine and in Vietnam. I just wanted to say I remember and you are not forgotten even by some who
did not know you.

The Capels were our next door neighbors. On warm summer nights we,3 families of teens and preteens,often played hide-and-seek in the dark. Their yard was several acres and a great old oak served as homebase. Fall brought on touch football and,for me, a girl and several years younger, tickle tackles. I loved Bruce. We were all so proud when he went to Illinois to play football (Dick Butkus was his roommate. They went to the RoseBowl!)
Upon graduation, while engaged to a beautiful gal from the gymnastics team and fulfilling his ROTC obligation, he was commissioned as a 2nd LT and then was sent to Vietnam. Just a few days later, he was killed. My mother was asked to go next door with the Marine to break this terrible news to our good friends,his parents, Lillian and Wally.
The whole town turned out for the funeral of our local hero. All those big, tough football players cried right there with the rest of us. He was much too young and so full of promise,anyone could see that. Over the years we had watched with affectionate pride both Bruce and his brother, Steve, mature into truly fine young men. Bruce was the handsome athletic one;Steve the smart,kind one.
That was then, over 35 years ago. Don't know where Steve is today, nor indeed Mr and Mrs Capel. Lost touch a long time ago. But the gravesite of John Bruce Capel lies near the entrance of the small town cemetary in Glen Ellyn. On visits to my mother's grave, I always stop to say hello and leave a flower for the golden boy with the great smile and an "I-gotcha" for the chubby young girl who was lucky enough to live next door to the local hero.
In loving memory,
Linda Rosenthal LeFavor

2nd LIEUTENANT


JOHN BRUCE CAPEL


was an outstanding

football player at the

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

and at

QUANTICO in 1965


An award in his memory is given

annually to recognize the

" most courageous Illinois football player "





~~~ SEMPER FIDELIS ~~~





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE

A member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at the University of Illinois in Urbana, IL, "MooNuu", as he was known to his "brothers", always had a beaming smile and friendly disposition for everyone. He is missed by many!