Amsell Alexander Colebrooke
March 12, 1925 - October 30, 2009
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Amsell Alexander Colebrooke
March 12, 1925 - October 30, 2009
Obituary
Amsell Alexander “Bud” Colebrooke Jr. was born March 12, 1925 in Medford, MA and died at the home of his daughter, Gail Wetzel, 3044 Butler Rd., Columbia, TN on October 30, 2009. He was the second child of six, and the oldest son, which made him the “man of the house” when he became fatherless at the age of six. He always took responsibility seriously, helping his mother and siblings while growing up, and in supporting and nuturing his family later on. At the age of 7, at the height of the Great Depression, he had a job selling kindling to neighbors until his mother found out his wood supply was from the picket fence around the house. At the age of 9 he had two jobs. By the age of 13 he was driving trucks across three states for a food delivery company that was unaware of his age. At 15 he worked for Alcor Aluminum Co., fabricating parts for warplanes. In 1943, at the age of 17, he lied about his age so that he could join the Aircorp. He had training in Nashville where he classified as pilot/navigator private bombardier, and also found time to meet and marry a Tennessee girl. Then, he was shipped to Lafayette College in Eastern Pennsylvania where he went through officer training. After a medical discharge, due to an injury, he returned to Nashville, Tennessee to make a life for himself and his wife, Georgia Alice Allen Colebrooke. He was the epitome of an entreprenuer, owning numerous companies before settling into a career as land developer for subdivisions and business parks. He had five children, three of whom preceded him in death: infant twin sons and son Ronald Allen Colebrooke. During his life he traveled to every continent of the world and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to help sick children and endangered animals. There is a children’s park dedicated to him in Medford, Mass in acknowledgement of his contributions, and he donated his home in Franklin, Tennessee to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Bud died at home after a 20 year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. “We can shed tears because he is gone; or we can smile because he has lived.” Bud is survived by his sister: Ms. Trudi Clubb of Ocean City, Md; two daughters: Gail Mrs. Daniel L. Wetzel of Columbia, TN; and Catherine Mrs. Doug Cutler of Brentwood, TN; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A private memorial was held by immediate family. The family will be receiving friends and business associates at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cutler, 9556 Concord Rd., Brentwood TN on Saturday, November 7th, after 4:30 pm. Donations to your local humane society will continue Bud’s compassion for animals.
14 responses to Amsell Alexander Colebrooke
Bonnie White says:
January 30, 2015
Uncle Bud was always a part of my life. He taught me to be a little monkey & pulled coins from behind my ear. My mother Shirley & step-dad & I lived in Hollywood my age was 3 & 4 years old, before my twin bros. were born, he would appear, from the blue sky, on the couch in the livingroom his shoe off. A toothpic in his teeth. Of all he talked to me about & taught me, in my childhood ” Your mind is like a vessel : you can fill it with rocks, or you can fill it with gems ” is my favorite advice to remember him by. I think of him whenever an airplane flys over my house… & When I hear the song Daniel by Elton John
Catherine says:
January 30, 2015
Whenever He wanted to make a point emphatically, He would preface the scolding with “COLEBROOKE you need to do this or Colebrooke You need to do that!” To say the least it really got our attention! Friday morning was just the kind of day He liked. Clouds, coolness, and the swirling leaves danced around his house. We had opened His windows hoping the strong breezes would somehow comfort him. The sheets gently seemed to caressed his labored body. With the windows open the sound of the train down the hill filled the room with its engine roar, the screaking whistle declared the trains approach. At the same time, Dad began to have a problem that I needed to address. As Gail and I jumped up, I instinctively spoke loudly to Him “COLEBROOKE, THE TRAIN IS COMING!YOU HAVE GOT TO HURRY! YOU HAVE TO GET ON THE SLEEPER CAR RIGHT NOW! YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PAIN! YOU HAVE TO HURRY, GET ON THE TRAIN RIGHT NOW!!! With that, as the whistle was still blowing, he looked at Gail, then me, and died. So Dad caught the 10/30/09, sleeper car at 11:10. Dad was a complicated man, due to an unreal complicated life. The scriptures say a man is acquited of his sins when He died, and God Almighty is the judge of all. Dad did good things in his life. Therefore, I personally long for the day when that Grand Conductor makes the decision to get him off that sleeper car. I personally thank each of you for caring!
David Ross says:
January 30, 2015
Of all my uncles, Uncle Buddy did more with me than the rest. From jokes about Indain Joe to how to capture my dreams.I wished I would have spent more time doing that too! He always amazed me about what he was able to do. I never know till spring of this year that he was a pilot in WW11. Maybe this was what helped him to be fearless and to go flaps up to every thing he sat his mind to. I enjoyed the weekends I spent at there house and how aunt Georgia seemed to balance each other out. They did teach me that tobbaco worms was the best bait in there lake and how to drive a a old ford trator. So many things I wish I would have ask him. I really loved this man.
Donna Allen Savage says:
January 30, 2015
My sincere love to the family of a man that was very dear to my heart. One of my most cherished memory is the day Bud showed up at Heritage Title with a dozen of beautiful roses and a $100 bill attached during a time when real estate was at a low here in Franklin around 1989. I will never forget that day. I cherish all the visits he and Alex made to my office. As a little girl I grew up in Arrington and remember the Colebrooke family. In the 7th grade I attended Northside Jr. High and Gail was my English teacher. I would have never made it through that difficult year without her. I told that story to Bud on many occasions. He was proud of all his family as they were of him.
Ewing Allen Ross says:
January 30, 2015
Uncle Buddy was a joy to be around and he always kept us laughing. He always had a good joke to tell and will be greatly missed.