A true son of the Pacific Northwest, Bruce brought a bottle of wine made in Washington state all the way to the South when the organization I work for hosted him and his wife Jeannie at a chimp sanctuary. We had suggested packing sneakers or trail shoes for the visit. Not surprisingly, Bruce instead wore a pair of impeccable shoes – marine blue suede brogues. When I admired them, Bruce smiled and said “Well, I sell shoes, you know.” He shared stories of his youth, including a stint as a bartender in my own neighborhood of Lake City. He also shared what he missed most about Blake, who had passed only six months earlier.

But what touched me most was Bruce’s devotion to Jeannie, the big animal lover in the family. Over their years together, his love for animals grew almost to match hers, something which I think resulted from his deep love for Jeannie. Thanks to Bruce and Jeannie’s support, we’ve been able to make the lives of countless animals free from cruelty and abuse. Bruce’s kindness to and around people is well known, but he also loved nature, animals and all of creation.
I’m deeply grateful that I had the chance to know him.