Honoring Four American Heroes who Graduated from Bedford High School

I should like to honor John Daniel Hart, Travis Desiato, Terry Michael Reed, and Robson Ward Wills with my American Primitive portraits because they were sensitive, unselfish, and courageous warriors who fought and died for democracy in the town where I live, Bedford, Massachusetts.

They add another dimension of pride and dignity to the Bedford Flag, the oldest flag in the nation.

John Daniel Hart
United States Army ~ Operation Iraqi Freedom
Bedford High School, Class of 2002

Surrounded by the American Flag, the Bedford Flag, and the United States Army flag, John Daniel Hart is shown with the white birch trees that grow at the edge of Veterans Memorial Park, and the injured skunk that he sensitively and lovingly rescued.

Travis R. Desiato
United States Marine Corps ~ Operation Iraqi Freedom
Bedford High School Class of 2003

Travis Desiato stands among a distressed American Flag, the Bedford Flag, and the United States Marine Flag, with his football and the Purple Heart because all of them are symbols of his soul.

Robson Ward Wills
United States Army Vietnam War era
Bedford High School Class of 1964

Robson Ward Wills proudly stands with the American Flag, the Bedford Flag, the United States Army Flag, with two symbols of Texas — bluebonnets, the state flower, and a mockingbird, the state bird.

Terry Michael Reed
United States Air Force, Vietnam War era
Bedford High School, Class of 1963

Terry Michael Reed stands proudly with a C-130B cargo plane for which he was a pilot, his silver First LIeutenant’s barm the American Flag, the Bedford Flag, the United States Army Flag, and an oak tree that grows in Texas.

Editor’s Note: Bruce Fountain-Stalker grew up in Maynard where his father managed the American Woolen Mill, then lived in Concord for 50 years, and came to Bedford nine years ago. Mr. Fountain-Stalker had the same art teacher in Maynard for 12 years but his style never changed, and he’s now acclaimed as an American Primitive painter. Mr. Fountain-Stalker has had exhibits on the Community Wall at the Bedford Free Public Library and at the Job Lane House as well as at other venues and in nationally-published journals.