Bruce Robert King

He was born Aug. 16, 1926 in Antigo, Wis. to Joseph and Isabel Wilde King. He graduated from White Lake High School in 1944 and later joined the Navy where he served as radio operator on the destroyer Henry W. Tucker, serving a year-long tour of duty in the Pacific. He later attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering, graduating in 1947. He then moved to Lewis, Wis. to help establish the Lewis Telephone Co. During this period he formed a band that would be billed as "Bruce King, his Trumpet and his Orchestra," which performed at night clubs, high school proms and other celebrations from Balsam Lake to Pine City, Minn. It was at a dance job that he met Belle Johnson of rural Lewis. They married April 18, 1951 at Lewis United Methodist Memorial Church.

He operated two businesses in Frederic, King's Citgo Station and later, King's TV & Radio.

In 1964, he moved his family to Spooner when an opportunity arose to become a Sears catalog merchant. He operated the Sears store on River Street for 16 years. He and Belle spent much of their free time exploring Bayfield and the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior with family and friends aboard their boat, "King's Ransom" and following retirement took various jobs, which included working as an express mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, a realtor and convenience store clerk/handyman.

But it was in his music that he found the most satisfaction, putting the trumpet skills he began learning at age 12 to good use throughout his life, from playing the "Charge!" anthem from the end zone of the old Met Stadium at a 1967 Packer-Viking game to playing taps at countless military funerals. He loved big band music and helped form the Nuto Dixieland Band, Jazznocracy and other bands at venues from dances to funerals. He never missed playing a New Year's Eve dance job for nearly 50 consecutive years, and was still entertaining crowds well into his 83rd year. His trumpet/vocal rendition of "Sugar Blues" was his signature song.

He was preceded in death by wife, Belle, grandson Stephen Kroll, brothers Harold, Don and Hollace King, sisters Geneva McGeorge, Dorothy Martin and Luella Williams.

He is survived by daughter, Debby (Gene) Kroll of Wisconsin Rapids, son Gary (Sandra) King of Frederic, grandchildren Matthew King of Eden Prairie, Minn., Amanda (Carl) McGrane of Woodbury, Minn. and Jack Tricker-King of Frederic, two great-grandchildren, brother Wally King of Racine, Wis., and three step-grandchildren, Jamie (Matt) Swanke of Tigerton, Wis., Sam (Kate) Tricker of Poynette, Wis. and Andy (Nicole) Tricker of Minneapolis, and four step-great grandchildren.

There are no funeral services planned at this time.