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Bruce passed away on August 6, 2018, of pneumonia. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, August 8 at 11:00 at Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost, Kansas City, MO.
Obituary from KC Star:
Bruce Roger Weneck Our beloved brother and uncle, Bruce Roger Weneck, passed away at age 67 on August 5th, 2018 from complications of pneumonia. The son of Hyman and Nettie Helen Weneck, Bruce had a long career in the supermarket business. He brought his family enormous joy and the comfort of his loving kindness. He made us laugh from the bottom of our bellies. He was sweet and generous. He was gracious to all. Bruce is survived by his brothers, Steve Weneck and Richard Weneck, his sisters, Jane Booser Gorman and Bette Weneck, and two nieces and three nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11am Wednesday, August 8, 2018 at The Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO. Burial to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to a charity of one's choice . Online condolences for the family may be left at www.louismemorialchapel.com. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=bruce-roger-weneck&pid=189834047&fhid=21283
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Steve Kanaga
I am very sad to hear of Bruce's death. At previous reunions I did not see him and asked others who knew him about him, and heard he was living in Kansas outside the KC Metro Area. I knew him best when we were in Border Star, and the same general neighborhood of 68th Street, living less than two blocks west of me. As we were growing up, he was a good guy and a special guy in the neighborhood. I ran into him less in high school, when he was a busy basketball player. Other connections with him: My sister Carolyn was a fan of his sister Betty; they were in the same same grade. And Bruce's mom's first cousin, Nate Stein, was a very good friend of my dad's especially and our family; he was a lifelong bachelor known to us as "Uncle Nate", who we always saw during the December holidays when he brought us unique gifts, and saw at other times.
In memory of other deceased friends in the general neighborhood with Bruce and me: Jeff Selsor, two blocks to the east, a very good friend (also in Troop 123 with Whitney Sunderland and me), who I understand still has the permanent SW school record in the mile run, Kenny Burrell, on my block also to the east (brother of the wonderful Patty Burrell, who was also in the same grade with Carolyn--a best friend of hers--and Betty Weneck), Bill Duncan, about two blocks two the west, and Stuart Gentry, also about two blocks to the east. I could write more. All good guys.
Mike Ward
Bruce and I were good friends since the 2nd grade at Border Star. In 1961, we played 3&2 baseball together on the Broadway Stars. Bruce was our 3rd baseman, Tom Morgan our left fielder and Paul Dow played first base. We only lost two games the whole year. Our freshman year at SW, Bruce and I made the freshman basketball team. We didn't have the greatest season, but we had a blast playing for Coach Cobb. Bruce went on to play varsity basketball for Coach Moriarity our senior year. I will always remember a JV game against Rockhurst our junior year where Bruce hung 29 points against the Hawklets. That game showed Coach Moriarity that Bruce could play.
In school, Bruce and I both had Mrs. Chiarello for Spanish. Neither one of us I don't think could speak much Spanish when we graduated. Our favorite teacher in our five years at SW besides Mrs. Chiarello, was one Alpheus O. Fisher, our geometry teacher our sophomore year. I had AO first hour. Bruce and Bob Bruegging had him second hour. We shared many a laugh talking about blackboard protractors.
One of my favorite memories of Bruce was attending the NAIA basketball tournemnt downtown one full day each year. His dad bought season tickets for the entire 6 day tourney so Bruce and I got to attend a full day watching basketball instead of trying to improve our Spanish or working on the pythagorean theorem.
Towards the end of our sophomore year, we lost Coach Ewing, one of the greatest coaches in SW history. Bruegging, Bruce and I attended that funeral together . Sadly, a year later, Bruce and I attended Ed Storm's service after that bad car wreck took his life.
In the spring of 68, Bruce and I were shooting baskets as always at the house across the street from his on 68th terrace. We heard the news come over the radio that Martin Luther King had been killed. The times they were indeed changing. I never ever saw Bruce mad at anyone. He always seemed to have a smile on his face and was interested in how you were doing. For a few years after SW graduation, we stayed in touch, usually talking about basketball games from the past. I write this now saying how I wish we could have some more visits. Bruce, you were a class act!