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Dec 26/1977

Clayton Brukner dies in Kettering

Clayton J. Brukner, the philanthropist who felt "Providence ... brought me to Troy" and who made it internationally known as the home of Waco aircraft, died of cardiac arrest last night at Kettering Medical Center.

Mr. Brukner, 81, of 1144 Swailes Road, had been hospitalized since he entered the center for open heart surgery Nov. 4.

Troy Mayor Frank Prouty has ordered flags be flown at half-mast Thursday to mourn Brukner's death.

To longtime Trojans, his name was synonymous with Waco Aircraft, which manufactured some of the earliest private airplanes and which produced World War II aircraft trainers and gliders. But younger residents knew him as the benefactor to Troy who donated nearly $1 million for Brukner Nature Center and more than $500,000 for an additional wing to Stouder Memorial Hospital, opened in 1972.

Mr. Brukner, born Clayton John Brukner, Dec. 13, 1896 in Ravenna, Neb., to John and Rachel Brukner, was apparently an early "tinkerer" whose work with machinery led a number of inventions even before he paired with high school friend Elwood (Sam) Junkin to found the Advance Aircraft Co. in Troy in 1922. The two partially financed their initial operation by barnstorming, wing-walking and making passenger flights with their own plane.

The Advance company became Waco in 1929, three years after Junkin died of pneumonia just as the Waco Taperwing was becoming the craft to make the company's reputation international. But Waco aircraft were possibly most extensively used during World War II, when U.S. armed forces asked  the company to design its training glider and troop and cargo carrying gliders. 

[[left margin]] endocarditis Oct 31, 1926 [[line drawn from "endocarditis" to "pneumonia" in text of obituary]] [[/left margin]] 

When Waco merged with an aviation complex in Syracuse, N.Y. in 1963, Mr. Brukner retired to devote more time to a number of interests, including work with the Stouder hospital board, of which he was president 1945-50, and with the Brukner Nature Center concept. He unveiled it in 1967 with the promise to finance it if the center, located on 146 acres of his land adjacent to the Stillwater River, would be used for educational purposes.

The center opened in 1974 with a $360,000 "interpretive" building, numerous biking trails and since-realized plans for programs concerning area wildlife.

Mr. Brukner donated green space in various areas and for various purposes in the city of Troy - he contributed $37,000 toward the purchase of the lot behind the new Troy-Miami County Public Library for a park, and gave the city two lots and playground equipment for it in Home Acres.

Mr. Brukner also annually donated two scholarships to Troy High School and was the anonymous donor of the senior citizens' bus operated by the city.

His philanthropy was recognized when he was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Troy Chamber of Commerce in 1969, received the Troy Jaycees Community Service Award in 1971 and was given an appreciation plaque by the city of Troy in 1976.

Mr. Brukner received the "Man of the Year" award from Silver Wings, an international organization of veteran aviators, of which he was a long-time member. He was also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics, the American Society of Engineers, the Aviation Hall of Fame, and the National Waco Club. 

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CLAYTON BRUKNER

A member of the Boy Scouts of America, Mr. Brukner was also a Rotarian (former president), and was a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He was also a Chamber of Commerce member, a member of the Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 14, and a Scottish Rite member.

Single all his life, he is survived by a nephew and three cousins, all residing in Michigan.

Services will be Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Fisher-Cheney-Cron Funeral Home. Visiting hours will be 2-8 p.m. that day.

Burial will be in the Lyon Lake Cemetery, Marshall, Mich. Contributions may be made to Brukner Nature Center or Stouder Memorial Hospital.

[[left margin]] Dr. John Treiber married R.N. daughter there [[/left margin]]