Bruce Lewis DeLong age 76, died Wednesday, January 17, 2018, at his home in Amery, Wisconsin.

Bruce's parents were Albert and Marion Larsen DeLong. He grew up with his two brothers, Bernam and Burl, in their home in Amery overlooking the Apple River. His parents gave him freedom to roam the woods and river with friends and to go hunting and fishing. With money from his paper route and from trapping muskrats, at age fourteen, he finally was able to purchase a used "Old Town" canoe. A canoe he used a lot during his lifetime.

His early years instilled in him a love for nature and a realization that "We must walk gently on earth." Bruce then began a 35 year career as a biology teacher at Waterloo West High School. He was named a finalist in 2001 for the Presidential Teacher of the Year Award and that same year was named the Science Conservation Teacher of the year in Iowa. Bruce also taught biology as an adjunct instructor at Hawkeye Technical College and Upper Iowa University. He "practiced what he preached" and set an example for his students and community. Bruce did not like labels and often corrected people who introduced him as a biology teacher; he would say, "I'm a biologist every day of the year, and a teacher part of that time."

A highlight of his career was helping organize West High's Alpine Environmental Biology Course, a four week backpacking trip for 30 students to the Elk Mountains of Colorado. The students and other instructors studied alpine plants, birds, geology, and the group even managed to summit Treasury Mountain at 10,000 feet. They also learned independence, teamwork, and ate mountains of dehydrated food with nary a cell phone even thought of!

Bruce and Lona Jean spent 28 summers at their cabin in northern Wisconsin. A cabin rule—no electricity, no running water. It is a place to be in solitude and with nature. While there he developed his interest in bird banding and received his Federal Bird Banding Permit which he held as a master birder until his death. He banded nearly every weekend in Iowa during the school year with his friend Richard Golz, and in Wisconsin with his wife and partner Lona Jean. He also spent hundreds of hours birding with his brother-in-law Dan Lien. During his birding career, Bruce banded, identified and released over 12,000 birds. He reported in detail all birds on an annual basis to the federal government at the Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland.

At the same time, Bruce became very interested in nature photography. He was always in search of rare Wisconsin orchids and other rare plants! Ironically, it took him 40 years of searching to find the elusive Trailing Arbutus on a bird net lane near his cabin!

Bruce was a supporter of the Sierra Club, the Midwest Environmental Advocates, the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Board member of the Amery Lakes and Rehabilitation District, and, of course, a member of the Audubon Society, the Inland Bird-Banding Association and the Wisconsin Ornithological Society. He especially enjoyed being a member of the Nemakagon Barren's Wildlife Area, spending many summer hours driving and hiking this large area and maintaining 24 bird houses on the Barren's Bluebird Trail.

Bruce is survived by his wife of fifty years, Lona Jean Frank; his brother, Burl (Marsha) DeLong and their children: Ryan, Blake, Tara and Ashley and their children, Sister-in-law, Coke (Bernam) DeLong and their children: Deborah (Mark) Miller; daughter, Megan (Brian) Tetro; Daniel (Terry) DeLong and their children: Ansley (Evan) DeLaney and Ian DeLong; Jennifer (Dave) Kleckner; a Brother and sister-in-law, Daniel (Margaret Frank) Lien sons, Andrew (Angela) Lien, Peter (Amanda) Lien; grand-nephews, Tierney and Salvator; great-nieces, Isabella, Clementine and Nora. Relatives: Duane Orn, Phyllis Orn Brewster and Ardis Whitmer. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert & Marian (Larsen) DeLong, a brother, Bernam DeLong; Uncles: Forest (Mary) DeLong, Lloyd (Emily) Larsen, Lynn Larsen and Donald Larsen; Aunts, Eleanor (Ralph) Larsen Orn and Dorothy (Larsen) Newman.

A gathering for family and friends will be held at the Williamson~White Funeral Home , 222 Harriman Avenue North, Amery, Wisconsin on Sunday, February 11, 2018 from 2 – 5 PM with a family remembrance service held at 4 PM. A private Family interment will take place at Calvary Cemetery in Deer Park, Wisconsin.

Memorials can be directed to the Amery Public Library, Interfaith Caregivers, Friends of the Namekagon Barren's Wildlife Area FNWA.org or to the charity of your choice.