The letters-to-the-editor columns of our local papers will be a little shorter: I just learned that Bruce Yelton of Pocopson Township died back in July.
Bruce, a Tower Hill grad, was a classic American gadfly. He attended township meetings, school board meetings, library board meetings, and just about any committee meeting you can imagine. He took pages of notes. He collected volumes of data. He asked questions, then asked them again.
And after he digested all the material, he'd bang out (on an old-fashioned typewriter) fiery letters to the editor. The oblique, carefully crafted language of diplomacy was not for him; he simply informed officials what they "must" do. The superintendent MUST release these personnel statistics; the library board MUST give up its "pipe dream" (one of his favorite phrases) of a new building.
He held strong opinions and loved being in the middle of a controversy.
I usually disagreed with Bruce. But then, every once in a while, one of his letters would be completely on target. Confused by this cognitive dissonance, I'd have to stop and re-read it.
Bruce was one of a kind. I am sure his family members, and public officials everywhere, will be sharing stories about him for a long time to come.
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