Wilburn K. DeBruler

Wilburn K. DeBruler of Edmond, Oklahoma, passed on with loved ones at his side July 7, 2011, at the age of 84. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 10, at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper from 12:30-5:30pm. Funeral services will be held at 2pm on July 11, followed by a gathering at Touchmark at Coffee Creek.

Wilburn was born to William and Lucy DeBruler of Winslow, Indiana, followed by his sister Ruth Edna. After graduating a year early from Winslow High School, an under-aged Wilburn joined the Navy with his parents’ permission. He served first as a frogman then on the destroyer escort the U.S.S. Wingfield DE-194 as a sonarman in the ETO and PTO during World War II.

Upon his return stateside, Wilburn married his high school sweetheart Lois A. Bottom who urged him to go to college. His collegiate career began at Oakland City Community College and ended with his Juris Doctor from the University of Louisville and was later admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. After closing private practice in Petersburg, Indiana, Wilburn began his career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1956. He was assigned as a special agent in Mobile, Montgomery, Miami, St. Petersburg, and Tampa, then was promoted to supervisor in the Civil Rights Section, Anti-riot, and Bombing Unit, General Investigative Division FBIHQ in DC. Wilburn then served as assistant agent in charge at Phoenix and Los Angeles followed by a position as inspector in the Inspection Division at FBIHQ. He served as special agent in charge at Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and Detroit. Wilburn retired from the Bureau as assistant director of the Planning and Inspection Division at FBIHQ in Washington, DC. In his retirement from the FBI, Wilburn was employed as hearing officer and general counsel for the Kentucky Personnel Board, Frankfort, Kentucky.

After his retirement from government service, Wilburn and Lois DeBruler moved closer to their son Byron K. DeBruler and his wife Wanda in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Wilburn is survived by his wife Lois; his daughter Conya and her husband Phillip Holcomb and their daughter Bronwynn Tingler; his son Byron DeBruler and his wife Wanda; his sister Ruth McInturf and her son Mark and his wife Laura.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Foundation and the American Diabetes Association.

Arrangements under the direction of Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, Oklahoma City, OK.