This memorial website was created in loving memory of Alvin Dale Bruce who was born in Platteville, Colorado on September 12, 1919 and passed away on January 21, 2007 at the age of 87. Alvin Dale Bruce, son of Columbus E Bruce and Cora L Bruce, a family of ten children. Of seven boys and three girls, Alvin was the eighth child. Alvin graduated from Platteville Consolidated High School in 1937. Alvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 8th, 1937. Alvin spent the first 10 years of Military duties in the "General Service" and the last 10 years with the "Naval Security Group". Alvin became a Master Chief Petty Officer and held the ratings of: CTC - RMC - RM1 - RM2 - RM3 - SN - and Apprentice Seaman. Alvin served aboard the following ships and Naval Stations: USS Tuscaloosa (CA 37) - USS Prairie (AD 15) - and USS Barataria (AVP 33) - U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FL - Fleet Training Center, San Diego, CA - Naval Security Group Activity, Guam - Naval Security Group Activity, Skaggs Island, CA - Naval Security Group Activity, Imperial Beach, CA - Naval Security Group Activity, Okinawa - Naval Security Group Activity, Japan - Naval Security Group Detachment, COMSIX, Charleston, South Carolina. Alvin was awarded the following Medals during his naval career: Navy Good Conduct Medal (5th award) - National Defence Service Medal - American Defence Medal - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - China Service Medal (Extended) - Philippine Liberation Ribbon - Presidential Philippine Republic Unit Citation. Alvin received numerous letters of accommodations, too many to list from many Commanding Officers. Alvin was also a member of numerous organizations: United States Naval Institute - World War II Verterans Committee - The American Legion - The Elks Club - Republican Presidential Task Force - Navy Cryptology Veterans Association - and The Fleet Reserve Association Branch #22 in Pensacola, FL to name a few. Upon completion of 20 years of Naval Service, Alvin continued working with the Department of the Navy as a Communications Specialist in the "Civil Service" and retiring from "Federal Service" in 1973 with 29 total years; at that time as Head of the Electronics Frequency Assignment Branch and was single-handedly responsible for all actions pertaining to Military Frequency Assignments above 27.5 MHz. Alvin is left with his family members, wife, Amalia L Bruce; his sons, John G Bruce and his family Daisy M Bruce and John G Bruce Jr; Joseph N Bruce and his family Rebecca Bruce and Lacey Rose Bruce; three daughters from a previous marriage; Deborah and her husband Angelo Truncale, and daughters Julie Tamez and Bronwyn Bruce. We will remember him forever.
Tributes and Condolences
miss you / Joe (max) Bruce (son in law )
I love you and miss you.
I will never forget you. Thank you for all the good years.
&...
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Missing you on our Anniversary / Amalia Bruce (Loving Wife )
Hello my Love; it's been one year and I miss you more than ever. Our wedding anniversary was two days ago and John, Merlene, Johnny, and I went to dinner to celebrate. I am picking up a new flower arrangement for you today and it's beauti...
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Happy Holidays / Amalia Bruce (Wife)
Al, your are my only true love; this was the first Christmas and New Year's that we did not share with each other in 44 years. I miss you more and more every day and look back, wishing I could make certain changes like: telling you how muc...
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My Father-In-Law - My Friend / Daisy Bruce (Daughter-In-Law)
I admired Al so....much. I loved his stories he used to sit and tell me about his life. I miss those stories as I miss the man we all loved and admired. Al you will never be forgotten, you have been and continue to be a great inspiration to me; I som...
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Thinking of you on your birthday / John Bruce (Son)
Happy Birthday Dad! All of us miss you very much and have great memories of you that will be cherished forever. We love you very much and wanted to let you know how special you are to all of us. You lived a wonderful life and touche...
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Family Name History - From The Historical Research Center The surname Bruce is of territorial origin, deriving from the name of the dwelling place or locality where a bearer once lived. In this instance, the name can be traced to the lands surrounding the Chateau d ' Adam at Brix, between Cherbourg and Valognes in Normandy. It was from here that the original bearer of the surname Bruce hailed. Robert de Brus, who was named after his lands, built an extensive fortress there in the eleventh century before he emigrated to Scotland. He was the leader of the Brus contingent in the army of William the Conquerer who arrived in Britain in 1066. He settled in Scotland where his name became anglicized to Bruce and he died in his adopted country in 1094. A son of this Robert de Brus, know as Robert Le Meschin ( the cadet ), and later as Robert Bruce, achieved renown in Scotland when he received a grant of lands at Annandale as a reward for being a companion of King David I at the English court. A grandson of Robert, also named Robert, became famous as Robert the Bruce, who subsequently became Robert I of Scotland. His brother Edward was crowned King of Ireland in 1316, but was killed in 1318. Notable modern day bearers of the name include James Bruce ( 1730 - 94 ), the Scottish explorer in Africa who rediscovered the source of the Blue Nile in 1770 and Stanley Bruce ( b. 1883 ), the Australian statesman who was President of the Council of the League of Nations in 1936.
Blazon of Arms: Or a saltire and cheif gules on a canton argent a lion rampant azure.
Translation : The heraldic metal or (gold ) denotes Generosity and Elevation of Mind. Gules ( red ) denotes Military Fortitude and Magnanimity.
Crest: A Lion statant azure.
Translation: Azure ( blue ) signifies Loyalty and Truth.
Motto: Fuimus.
Translation: We have been.
The Family of C.E. and Cora Bruce - Sis (Valerah Bruce Coombs remembers) My parents were married in Platteville, Colorado July 6, 1904. When the family was small; just Deuce, Ted and myself, my parents ran a hotel on the corner in town. It had a pool room with buckets of hard candy, we kids couldn't keep our hands out of, and a buggy for hire with horses we called Peanut and Josh. The hotel business didn't suit my folks; however, so dad took over mail route #2, a scenic 40 to 50 mile run including Grand Lake and Mead, and held this job 35 years until he retired in 1945. Dad was gregarious and energetic, Platteville's unofficial social director. He organized dances and baseball teams and we often had an old baseball player sleeping in our basement. Both my parents were active in lodges, The Oddfellows, The Rebekahs etc. Before marriage mother had been Mr. Springfields bookkeeper at the Mercantle Co. across the street from the railroad station. She became a full-time mother and housewife as our family grew to ten high-spirited children. We Bruce kids were a lively, fun-loving bunch with a reputation for escapades large and small. It was a great life! Mother was the daughter of William and Caroline Keefer Birkle, German immigrants who married in St. Jo, Missouri in 1872 and pioneered on a farm near Wattenburg Co. In 1879 they settled on a homestead two and a half miles West of Platteville and reared a family of seven. On our grandparents farm, we town kids got to eat fresh watermelon and taste warm milk straight from the cow. Dad's father was Harrison Morgan Bruce; he was born in Oowa of Scottish ancestry and served in the Union Army, Company E, Third Iowa Cavalry, during the Civil War. Dad's mother was Lucinda Celestia A. Duckworth from a prominent Davis Co. Iowa family. Her Great Grandfather, John Duckworth, served under General McDowell during the Revolutionary War. My gradparents married in Iowa in 1875 and homesteaded for 11 years in Western Kanas during a period of droughts and panics. In 1893 they moved their family of 8 children to Colorado, hoping the change would cure my fathers asthma. He outgrew the asthma but in the move he has to sell his pony. Grandma Bruce lived next door to us as we were growing up. When things got too noisy for me at home, I retreated to the cozy yellow house where Grandma Bruce would fix cambrie tea, read the Bible and teach me the tiny stitches needed for quilting. In the spring we would sit outside in her astonishingly lush garden, under the apple tree with its cloud of white blossoms. All was right with the world.
Information courtesy of: Barbara Coombs Loory, daughter of Valerah Bruce Coombs.
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