Leslie Charles Bruckner

Leslie Charles Bruckner was born in 1918 in Monroe, Michigan, youngest child of Austin and Millie Bruckner, and died in September 21, 2014 in Pasadena, California.
Football and family were the cornerstones of his life.

From his small southeastern Michigan hometown of Milan in the 1930's tales of Les' athletics skill reached recruiters from mighty Michigan State University. Bruckner joined the Spartans backfield and made an immediate impact on the football field. He was also a valued member of the track team.

Les was in the starting lineup when Michigan State played Auburn in the first Orange Bowl game in Miami in 1938. A member of the greatest generation, Les Bruckner was a lieutenant in the United States Navy serving in the Pacific during World War II.
Postwar, Les made a brief run at the National Football League, playing a part of one season with the Chicago Cardinals in 1945. In 2014, he became the oldest surviving player from the Chicago-St. Louis-Arizona Cardinals NFL franchise.
Les married Joan Olds of Ypsilanti, Michigan, daughter of Dr. L.W. Olds, a track coach and later director of athletics at Eastern Michigan University.
Les fathered two sons – Scott and Doug- and in 1949 the family moved to Burbank where Les was a successful football coach at Burbank High School. On weekends in the 1950's Les enjoyed taking his older boy to the Coliseum where the new NFL team, the Rams, were the toast of the football world. It was just one of many outings fondly remembered by the sons of a devoted father. When the boys were older they joined their Dad on camping trips to National Parks and Monuments in the American west and were encouraged –never pushed- when they pursued their own football dreams at Burbank High School.
An academic as well as an athletic, with a Master's Degree from the University of Michigan, Les was a respected history teacher at Burbank High School. In 1962, he broadened his background in his chosen field, taking Joan and their son Scott to Europe on a six month sabbatical trip traveling the North Atlantic on an Italian line steamship.
Summers in the 1950's and 60's Less Bruckner, with the able assistance of his wife Joan, launched two successful small businesses in Burbank. He created the Bulldog Club day camps and later the Les Bruckner Swim School.
After leaving coaching, and still teaching, Less began a highly successful "third act" in his football life—an official. Less worked his way up from high school games to major college sports and in the 1970's was a regular on officiating crews in the Pacific Eight conference. Les worked as an umpire on the fabled gridirons of Notre Dame Stadium, the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the old Stanford Stadium. In 1972, Les was again in a major bowl game when he was assigned as umpire on the officiating crew for the Rose Bowl game between the University of Washington and Michigan Wolverines.
Inspired by his father and his own love of the game, Scott also became involved in football officiating at the high school level. Scott was thrilled to actually take the filled with his Dad as a fellow "striped shirt, "and remembers the professionalism of his father and the respect Les received from players, coaches and other members of the officiating team.
Les was honored with an invitation to tour Asian U.S. Military Bases to conduct football officials clinics and traveled with his wife Joan to Japan, the Philippines and South Korea.
Late in life, Les returned to professional football. The upstart World Football League was challenging the established NFL by hiring some of its stars, and Les joined the frontline officiating crew. In 1974, he made his third appearance in a bowl game. This time it was the "World Bowl" –the WFL Championships in Birmingham between the Birmingham Americans and the Florida Blazers.
The move of NFL's Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982 provided Les with yet one more opportunity to work pro football games. The Raiders hired Les as a member of the "chain gang" and he manned the down boxes at the LA Coliseum until the Raiders returned to Oakdale in 1995. In 1993, Les was a member of the down box in the Rose Bowl at Super Bowl XXVII between the Cowboys and Bills.
In 2012, the Pac 12 Officials Association inducted Les Bruckner into their Field of Honor in a ceremony in Palo Alto.
Les' amazing longevity and versatility in the football world was truly remarkable, but even more noteworthy was Les Bruckner's dedication to his family. Despite all the honors, Les was proudest of being a family man and celebrated not his own considerable achievements, but the accomplishments of his loving wife and his two sons.
Les is survived by his wife, Joan, his son, Doug, his son, Scott and daughter,-in-lawn, Dona, his grandchildren, Andrew, Aleece, Anya and Amanda and great grandchildren, Jack, Jake and Jia.