Buddie S. Bruce

It is with great sadness that the family of Buddie Sterl Bruce announces his passing on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at the age of 87. 

Born in 1935 and raised in Knoxville, TN, Buddie completed high School and joined the US Navy at the age of 18. He proudly served his country prior to attending the University of Tennessee where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering whilst also serving as a reservist in the US Navy.

After college, Buddie started his career as an engineer working for a defense contractor in Maryland, where he met and fell in love with Patricia (Pat) Ann Imbach. Buddie and Pat were married in 1964 and began their family shortly thereafter. Buddie and Pat were blessed with three sons; Kevin Michael (’65), Kenneth Matthew (’67) and Joseph Sterling (’70). Buddie took great joy in raising his sons and was a fixture at the local swimming pool where his friendly face could always be counted on to serve as a swim team race official, course timer or designated transportation assistant.

Buddie continued the rest of his career working for the Department of Defense as an engineer in Maryland. However, later in their careers, Buddie and Pat both had the urge to see more of the world and so began a rather extensive global travel regimen that included extended stations in Australia, England and Hawaii. Having been bitten by the travel bug, Buddie and Pat pursued many adventures abroad that brought them to many far-flung locations across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Buddie initially retired in Hawaii, having developed a late love for golf and enjoying the earthly surroundings of island life.

After his loving wife Pat finished her final assignment in Hawaii, Buddie and Pat returned to their original home of 51-years in Laurel, MD to retire together. Buddie continued his passion for golf and started a new one for fishing, including several trips to Alaska with friends and family. His devotion to family continued through the years and Buddie enjoyed a loving relationship with his children, grandchildren and extended family, which by then included members in Maryland, California, Georgia and Tennessee.  

In early 2021, Buddie and Pat sold their home and moved to Vantage Point in Columbia, MD where they enjoyed an active lifestyle and the support of their new community. However, by late fall, Buddie began to witness a decline in his health. With his strong will to live and the extraordinary help of the staff at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he survived a massive heart attack. Buddie entered hospice for the first time in late 2021, but against all odds, Buddie’s health improved, and he grew strong enough to leave hospice to be closer to his wife and friends at Vantage Point. Buddie spent the next 1.5 years enjoying the company of his loving-wife and children, grandchildren and many friends and supporters. Always the polite one, Buddie was quick to smile and share a funny response to family and care takers.

Ultimately, time caught up to Buddie and he entered Hospice again on June 2023……for the last time. However, demonstrating his strong will to live and what some might call his trademark stubbornness, Buddie surpassed all clinical expectations and lived his life for another 13 days. Buddie passed peacefully on July 4th with his family at his side to comfort him.

Buddie is survived by his loving wife Patricia, son Kevin, son Kenneth and his wife Jacqueline, granddaughters Kaitlyn and Aimee, son Joseph and his wife Brandy, and grandchildren Jack and Mary Margaret.

The funeral mass will be held at 11:00 AM on July 28, 2023, at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish located at 8300 Old Columbia Rd, Fulton, MD 20759. For those unable to attend in person, the mass will be livestreamed via the Saint Francis YouTube Channel.     

Internment shall be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Buddie’s memory may be made to Neighbor Ride or the American Heart Association.

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