Howard "Buck" C. Bainbridge

9 ^th of 10 Children of John William Bainbridge and Grace Mae Everitt

Denver, Colorado

(Brother to John, Joe, Freda, Vida, Esme, Jay, Ray, Tom and Mildred Bainbridge)

Married Doris Imogene “Gene” Frost 1-7-1951

Raised 4 Children, Bruce B. Bainbridge, Charles Boyd Bainbridge, Anita Marie Hoyer and Connie Faye Bise

Grandchildren: Daniel Hoyer, Brittany Lupinetti, Kevin Hoyer, Brian Bainbridge, Sherry Bainbridge, Katie Bainbridge, Christa Leavell, Amanda Metzdorf,

Eleven Great Grand children

Buck graduated in 1949 from Englewood High School, rode his bicycle or the trolley to get to school. He worked hard and was the only one of his family to finish high school. Buck believed in education. He helped many members of his family with education expenses.

He was active in the Colorado National Guard from 1950 to 1962.

Buck was an active member of the Colorado State Grange, joining when he was nine. The Grange initiated members that young because there was no heat in the ante room. He served as Master and Chairman of the Executive Committee for many years. Buck enjoyed the Grange activities, dances, potluck dinners, fashion shows and the annual Oyster Supper in December.

Buck was loved by his sisters, who had a major role in his early life. They gave him his nickname. He didn’t even know his given name when he first went to school. His sisters were particularly protective of their little brother.   Buck often traveled often with his dad when he was young. Pappy John took him on deliveries and on various trips for his bee keeping work.

Buck worked numerous jobs. He had a strong work ethic instilled when he was young, and he respected anyone who worked for their living. Buck and Gene encouraged their family to work, to take pride in their work and that there was no job below them, so long as it was honest work.

Buck started working for Charles Denny when he was seven. He day herded 12-14 cows on railroad right of way and Cherry Creek and helped milk them twice a day for 25 cents a day.

When Buck was nine, he worked for Humpy Woodward, day herding cows for 35 cents a day with no lunch included. Buck then worked for Mrs. Either on Iowa Street when he was eleven. He mowed, raked and hauled hay with a team, where he was given a choice of $10 or an old Spencer rifle.   He still has the Spencer.

Buck then worked for Bob Jenkins when he was 13 farming 140 acres of corn. He ran a lister, cultivator, mower and rake with a team of horses, also hand milking cows morning and night.

Through his 8 ^th and 9 ^th grade years Buck worked at Millers grocery store every Saturday, from 9 am to 10 pm. He rode his bicycle to work. He was a grocery caddy, cleaned and stocked the store for 25 cents an hour. Buck noted that grocery carts weren’t allowed outside the store without a caddy.

When Buck was sixteen he worked for Bebe and Ray Breymier at Ben Bernands filling station, selling 23 cent a gallon gas.

The summer of his sixteenth year, Buck worked for his uncles Earl and Brian Everitt, east of Parker. He worked stacking hay with a Jayhawk stacker, and also worked wheat harvest for them.

The next year Buck worked for his Uncle Ed Everitt, mowing and stacking hay for $3 a day. He took his pay in trade for hay for the families cattle. Eds farm was in Lakewood at Garrison and Alameda, which is now Addenbrook park.

Buck worked for Pioneer Auto wrecking when he was seventeen and eighteen. He stocked parts and then ran the hoist and such his second year there.

During his senior year he worked as a groundskeeper for Huntington Estate for $2 an hour

Buck served in the Colorado National Guard from 1951 to 1958.

Buck went to work for Gates Rubber Company, graveyard shift, for $1.29 an hour.   He ran a skiving machine making fan belts. He had to make 2100 to 4000 belts  per shift, depending on size, to get $2 an hour. He got laid off when Bruce was 3 months old.

Buck and Gene and Bruce moved to Silver Springs, now known as Pine Junction, southwest of Denver. Buck worked for Sid Lily, drilling wells. Sid had been drafted for WWII when he was 42 years old so everyone called him uncle Sid. Buck worked for Sid for a year. Buck hired Sid to drill for him after Buck bought his own rig.

Buck went did various jobs as a day laborer for quite some time, after the post Korean War recession. He went to work for Pioneer Auto Parts, salvaging parts and busting engine blocks to load the cast iron onto railroad cars.

Buck went to work for Jerry Boone drilling wells. He was paid by the foot. When there was no more drilling as the economy stalled Buck went to work for Dick Nelson working on pumps for $1.70 an hour.

1957 was a big year. Buck and Gene bought a new house for $10000 in Parker. The house came complete with a $50 monthly mortgage payment. That same year Bill Glenn offered Buck his Bucyrus Erie 20W and his pole/pipe trailer for $5000. Bill was moving to Pakistan to drill water wells there. Buck had no money. Bill financed the rig for 15 cents a foot drilled until the rig was paid for, which took three years…..ll done on a handshake.. Bill returned from Pakistan, and sold dad a nearly new 1962 Ford Pickup with utility boxes. Again on a handshake.

Buck served as the Secretary for the Colorado Water Well Drillers Association for many years. This work gave him recognition and respect across the state among the well drillers and the State Engineer.

Buck bought a Hydra hoist pump rig that he used to set pumps and work on windmills, which he eventually sold to Fred Pearson. Fred borrowed the rig for years. Fred then bought he rig when Buck was no longer legally able to install pumps as he was working for the State in a regulatory role overseeing drillers and pump installers.   Colorado passed licensing regulations for pump installers.

Buck went to work for the State of Colorado, State Engineers office in June of 1966. He was the first Water Well Drilling Inspector, earning $597month, with health benefits etc. He had to either invest in an expensive air percussion rig to remain competitive or take the State job. He and Gene decided that the State job was a sound decision.

Buck worked for the State until he retired in 1987. He and Gene travelled around the country visiting relatives, fishing, hunting some and seeing the country

Buck particularly enjoyed his trips to Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast. He was particularly interested in Civil War history, the battle fields and museums. He also spent untold hours in the Aero Space museum, studying the Apollo Lunar Lander.

Buck enjoyed his garden, raising vegetables, flowers, squash and giant pumpkins. His sisters taught him to knit, crochet and do needlepoint. He has given flowers, knitted flowers, knitted baby blankets and needlepoint work to most of his family.

Buck and Gene moved from Parker to Wray. He took great pride in his 1928 Model T touring car and his 1931 Ford Model A. Showing them in parades around eastern Colorado.

Buck worked to restore hit and miss engines and Maytag washing machine engines. He also had a 1/6 scale Case Hay Press, that he took to many fairs and events. He demonstrated making hay and straw bales with his press powered by his favorite engine, Helen. He encouraged many to make their own bales in his press.

Buck worked a large garden for most of his life. He relaxed, enjoyed raising vegetables for the family and neighbors. Buck raised many flowers, giving them to friends, and decorating his office with them. He and Gene raised and sold giant pumpkins, fall decorative squash, gourds, mini pumpkins, colored corn, mini corn and such. The proceeds from Halloween decorations funded his and Genes winter travels.

Buck made a lasting impression on his family, friends, fellow workers and many individuals around the country. Buck was proud of his family, enjoyed making and maintaining friendships throughout his life.

He made a lasting impression and will be missed by his family and many friends.

A Receiving of Family & Friends was held on Sunday, September 15, 2019 at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home, 427 Adams in Wray, Colorado from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A Private Family Graveside service & Interment will be held in the Parker Cemetery in Parker, Colorado on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at 11;00 a.m.

Memorials may be made to Colorado Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Anchor Center for Blind Children

Pikes Peak Grange #163

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

PIKES PEAK GRANGE #163

3093 N. STATE HWY. 83

FRANKTOWN, COLORADO 80116

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2019 - 2:00 P.M.

POTLUCK TO FOLLOW SERVICES

Schmidt - Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

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