Read Bruce Edward Smith's Obituary & Leave Condolences

In memory of

Bruce Edward Smith

Aloha, OR

October 5, 1947 - January 4, 2020

Oct 5, 1947 - Jan 4, 2020

Help keep everyone in the know by sharing this memorial website.

Share

Photo

Bruce Edward Smith, 72 of Aloha, Oregon passed away on January 4th at his home. Bruce had struggled with medical issues for a long time. He is survived by his wife Kathleen, son Charles E. Smith, six step-children, his brother Steve, sister Kathleen and many nieces and nephews.
Bruce was born in Salem, Oregon the son of Charles and Bernice Smith. He grew up in the Eugene – Springfield area. Bruce was an Eagle Scout and later active in athletics in high school. One activity that he really enjoyed and excelled at was being the “Miller Man” a symbolic figure who generated enthusiasm for Springfield High School team sports. Bruce developed and kept lifelong friends from these early years.
After high school Bruce joined the Marine Corps and served his country in Vietnam and gained the rank of sergeant. After four years, he left the military to attend the University of Oregon. Bruce was a lifelong “Duck” fan, and tracked the football team closely.
Bruce worked for a time as a logger and in heavy construction, jobs he described as hard, but extremely satisfying. Later he had a long career with the Portland Parks and Recreation Bureau, starting as a carpenter, becoming a lead and then a project manager and supervisor. He was heavily relied upon for his skills and range of expertise. The last ten years of his career were spent as the Maintenance Supervisor at Portland International Raceway. This fit perfectly with his lifelong love of restoring old cars and his skills in developing and maintaining a public facility. Bruce also tackled challenging jobs with tenacity. At one point he traveled back to Vietnam to work as the sound tech on an Emmy winning television documentary.
Bruce designed and significantly remodeled his house in Aloha and built a huge shop devoted to his interest in cars. He made his home into the place he wanted to spend his time. Bruce was generous with his time and energy helping friends and family members with their problems and of course, their cars. Bruce coached Little League Baseball and Pop Warner Football teams his son participated in. He was an active dad, passing on life knowledge and skills while working and playing alongside.
He is remembered as someone who had a warm sense of humor and a playful side. He faced his medical challenges with a strength and good spirit that was admired by all who knew him. Bruce moved through life as the common man, but he was not. He was a very special human being who was loved and will be missed by all who knew him.
A memorial service will be held Saturday February 1 at 1 pm for Bruce at the Jenkins Estate main house in Beaverton. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Saint Bernard Rescue Foundation, Inc in his name. Bruce had a real soft spot for dogs.

Order a beautiful PDF you can print and save or share.

Get the PDF

Get notified when new photos, stories and other important updates are shared.