Obituaries

Brooklyn/Madison - After 87 years, one of life’s great journeys came to an end with the passing of Myron Leigh Bacon, Jr. on April 4, 2018.

Born on October 12, 1930, the youngest child of M. Leigh Bacon and Alice (Freeman) Bacon, Myron grew up at the foot of the White Mountains in Jefferson, New Hampshire. After attending Lancaster Academy, Myron enrolled at Norwich University, Northfield, VT. Upon graduation in 1952, he received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers, and his deployment orders to Korea from General Omar Bradley. Myron served 18 months in Korea as company commander in the 84th Engineer Construction Battalion. He was discharged from active service in September 1954. In 1981, Colonel Bacon retired after 27 years in the Army Reserve. Myron was humbled to be part of a 2016 Badger Honor Flight sponsored by the community of Sauk Prairie and Operation Eagles Wings.

Back from Korea, Myron reconnected with Doris Manseau at the Lancaster County Fair. Three weeks later, they were married on September 25, 1954. The newlyweds moved to Madison where Myron began working for the State of Wisconsin as a project engineer. He spent his entire career with the state DOT, retiring in 1991 as Director of the Bureau of Engineering Development. In his professional life, Myron was a pioneer in the fields of data processing and GIS. He served as a member of AASHTO, HEEP, and AAMVA, as well as on several governor’s task forces. In retirement, Myron worked as a consultant for the federal government and travelled extensively.

In 1959, Myron and Doris bought a small farm in Brooklyn, where they raised their family of four, as well as beef cattle and Arabian horses. Horse shows became an important part of Bacon family life. Myron was an active member of the Wisconsin Arabian Horse Association and continued to display leadership as a Steward for the American Horse Show Association.

Locally, Myron served the Township of Rutland as Commissioner of Roads and Town Chairman. In his final years, Myron volunteered his time as a member of the Friends of the Rutland Center Church and Cemetery, for which the committee received commendation from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation for the restoration.

As a young man, Myron was an active sportsman. He enjoyed hunting, playing baseball, and rooting for the Badgers, Packers, and Yankees. In retirement, Myron and Doris spent winters in Florida, where he enjoyed golf and senior softball.

Myron is survived by his wife of 63 years, Doris; daughter, Cynthia Bacon (Michael) Hammer; sons, George, Mike, and Tim; granddaughters, KayLynn and Skye Bacon, Fayth Cady, Maggie Drolet; great granddaughters, Zoë and Ali Drolet; brother-in-law Sal Manna; and many nieces and nephews. Myron was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings Lawrence, Pricilla, Mildred, and Shirley.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, April 8, 2018 at Heritage Congregational Church, 3102 Prairie Rd. Madison, WI. Visitation 12:30-2:00 pm. Service 2:00 pm with a luncheon to follow.

Gifts may be made in Myron’s name to: Wounded Warrior Project, PO BOX 758516, Topeka, KS 66675, or online at woundedwarriorproject.org.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com