Bruce Smith Relatives Impressed with Faribault

The sister and oldest child of Faribault's most famous native son had a tour of the community Wednesday and told KDHL they were impressed with how the community has preserved the memory of Bruce Smith.

Smith was the University of Minnesota's only Heisman Trophy winner.

The Heisman Trophy is given to "the most outstanding player in college football whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity," according to the Heisman Trust who sponsor the award each season. Smith won the award in 1941 and received the famous trophy two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

His younger sister June and oldest child Bonnie were in Faribault to see the mural of him on the west side of the Farmer Flooring and Korman Law Office building downtown. They also stopped by the Rice County Historical Society Museum to see a display put together in his honor and other sites.

June will be 90 and is six years younger than Bruce. She lives in a Twin Cities suburb and still mows her own yard.

June says when Bruce received the Heisman, her dad and a sister were in New York with him while she stayed home with her mom and listened on the radio. She was very proud.

Many people have told me over the years that June may have been the best athlete in the family. There were no girls sports in her day but June really enjoyed golf.

June told KDHL the Bruce Smith mural was outstanding and she "approved 100 percent." She saw a display at the museum many years ago and says the one there today is bigger and contains more items, including a pitcher of the Smith family.

Before arriving at the museum where we spoke with her and Bonnie, June drove by their home at 415 Division St., swung by Bruce Smith Field, the high school football field named in his honor, and stopped by the cemetery.

Bonnie Smith Henderson also enjoyed seeing the mural, saying, "it looks just like my dad, and our family is really proud of the historical facts included underneath the mural.

Bonnie was looking at the display at the museum and said in a matter of fact manner that a couple of the huge trophies won by Bruce were always kept in their dining room while growing up but that her dad never spoke about his football accomplishments.

She said the most she ever heard about her dad's football abilities came when he died of cancer at age 47 in 1967 in Alexandria, Minn., where the family went just a few years before his death.

Bruce's widow, Gloria, turned 93 in May and Bonnie and her sister are caring for her in Alexandria, where one of their brothers also lives.

You can hear the women's comments by tuning in to newscasts on KDHL at 7:05 and 8:05AM Thursday, also during the Midday Report on Thursday which begins at 12:05PM.