James Bruce

JAMES ROBERT BRUCE

Urbana

James Robert Bruce, 85, of Moravia, Iowa, formerly of Urbana, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home on April 18, 2018, surrounded by loved ones. Jim was born on April 23, 1932, in Vinton, Iowa, to Bob and Lucille (Aurner) Bruce. He graduated from Urbana High School in 1950 and entered the Air Force in February of 1952. While serving his country, he married his sweetheart, Dolores Reiss, on Sept. 26, 1954. Jim was the first graduate in the Fisheries and Wildlife Biology program at Iowa State College in 1959. After graduation, Jim and Dolores moved to Arizona, where Jim joined the Game and Fish Department and led his family on many adventures. The Bruce children remember a rescued golden eagle in the back seat of a car and a Gila monster temporarily housed in a box in the garage. In 1972, Jim brought his family back to Iowa and worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as a fisheries biologist until his retirement in 1995.

He is survived by Dolores, his wife of 63 years; children, Kirk (Jan) Bruce of Ames, Mary (Marty) Massman of Heyworth, Ill., David (Sandy) Bruce of Creston and Jim (Kristy) Bruce of Urbana; grandchildren, Jeremy Bruce (Kate Jopson), Markus (Laura) Bruce, Jon (Linda) Massman, Dan (Becky) Massman, Kate (Chris) Bax, Christopher Massman, Jacob Bruce (Margaret Standish) and Margaret Bruce (Parker Mason); four great-grandchildren, Leah and Lucas Bruce, Emilia Massman and Henry Bax; and two brothers, Dale Bruce and Tom Bruce.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Lucille Bruce; and parents-in-law, Leland and Effie (Welch) Reiss.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 28 at 11 a.m. at the Urbana Christian Church, Urbana, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to HCI Hospice Care Services in Centerville, Iowa.