Winfield S Bledsoe

HURON- Winfield Sidney Bledsoe (AKA: Wimp; AKA: Sid; AKA: WS Bledsoe), 88, passed away at Admiral’s Point Nursing Facility on October 15, 2019, surrounded by his wife and children. He was born on December 17, 1930, in Inman, Virginia, to Sadie and Lloyd Bledsoe.

            At the age of 15 he joined the Air Force, with the help of his sister fudging his date of birth on his enlistment papers. The age of enlistment at that time was 16, but he was hard-headed and knew what he wanted. After serving 2 years in the Air Force he switched careers and joined the Army. Throughout his military career he earned numerous medals, including a purple heart due to being shot during the Korean War, 5 Good Conduct Medals, a Bronze Star Medal, and a National Defense Service Medal. He had various overseas assignments including Korea, Germany, Hawaii, and Vietnam. While on training maneuvers in Germany he climbed their highest mountain, the Zugspitz, because one of his fellow officers said that he couldn’t. That was him, he was not going to let anyone tell him that he couldn’t do something. During one of his assignments he and his troop were being dropped into the jungle and his parachute did not open fully. He landed in the trees causing him to break his back. But he was a beast and once he was healed he was right back in it.

            During his time in the military, Wimp was a member of the “Quick-Kill” committee where he helped plan, organize, and establish a 60-point “Quick-Kill” range program. He was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division, a drill sergeant, and a straight-up bad ass. He was commended by the Army for his assistance in the training of over 500 drill sergeants during his career. That would explain a lot in the way that he raised his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was a hard ass and wasn’t opposed to getting a switch of the tree to whip your ass if you were misbehaving, but he had a heart of gold.       After serving 22 years in the Army he retired as a Sergeant First Class. From there he went to work for Conrail until his retirement in 1993.

            He was an avid fisherman and taught his grandchildren to love the sport as well. Although if you were one of his granddaughters you were not allowed to go out on the boat until you learned how to go to the bathroom in a bucket. You better believe, most of the girls did it. After every fishing excursion “the boys” would head back to the house, hang out around the fillet table, and drink their Pabst Blue Ribbon or Old Milwaukee’s. He was always one for stories. Whether the stories were centered around the things that he experienced during the war, like the fact that he had to eat monkeys because they didn’t have any other food, or stories about what happened on the latest episode of Jerry Springer. When old gramps talked everyone listened because you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth. His great-grandsons thought that he was the coolest thing around and always wanted to bring their friends over to see him.

            Wimp had a nickname for everyone, even if he didn’t like them. (Although those nicknames are not the ones we could mention here) He loved his “chew” as he called it, but only his favorite, flavor 24 C, buying his tobacco in bulk from Stoker’s in Tennessee. It literally would be delivered to the house in a huge box. He loved to pretend to get all the little ones to smoke his pipe, until the parents of those kids would yell at him. He thought that it was hilarious to scare the great-grandkids by taking out his teeth, too! He was quite the prankster. When you wanted to find him you didn’t have to look too far. You could either find him taking his afternoon siesta, or resting his eyelids as he called it, on the couch or reading a western. His personality and attitude will be missed by everyone, but his stories will live on.

            Sid was a father to 4, a grandfather to 12, a great-grandfather to 21, and a great-great grandfather to 3. Every single one of them would tell you that he was the “coolest cat” around. He did a great job teaching all of them life lessons, some of which nobody ever learns. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Florence (Majoy), of Huron, his son, David (Joanne) Bledsoe of Huron, daughters, Denise Kopke of Huron and Diane (Tom) Simpson of Huron. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Sadie, and his son, Randy A. Bledsoe.

            The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 20th from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Foster Funeral Home and Crematory, 410 Main Street, Huron.  Funeral Service will be Monday, October 21st at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

   Burial will follow at Meadow Green Memorial Park, Huron, with Military Honors.

   Memorial contributions may be made to one’s favorite charity in Winfield’ name.

   Online condolences may be shared at www.fosterfh.com.

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