BRUCE, Marvin

BRUCE, Marvin 1930 – 2025 In the words of Marvin, “I’ve had a wonderful life!”. Marvin was born on July 22, 1930 and passed away on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 94 years. He’d been really looking forward to his 95th birthday festivities in Calgary with his family, including a Blue Jays watch party as he was a true fan. He was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.
He was raised on a farm near Bawlf, Alberta and was the oldest of the six children to John and Sophia Bruce. Although he left the farm to attend school in Camrose for Grade 10, he always loved a drive in the countryside to check out the fields.
Marvin spent his whole career in Education. He started teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in 1949. He taught at Dodds, Ryley and Tofield, and served as the Superintendent of Schools of both Killam School Division and the County of Beaver. He ended his career as Director of Alberta Education in Lethbridge and later Red Deer, retiring in 1987 after thirty-five years. He then served as Executive Director of CASS, now the College of Alberta School Superintendents, from 1987 to 1992.
Marvin loved sports his whole life, including baseball, golfing, and curling, both playing and watching. He volunteered with the Kiwanis Clubs in both Lethbridge and Red Deer, serving in retirement as Chairman of the Red Deer Twilight Homes Foundation for years and helping numerous fund-raising organizations.
Marvin and Karen (Enghoj) were married for fifty years before her passing in 2013. They had three daughters, Sonja Bruce (Roger), Marilyn Ablett (Terry), and Gail Smith (Darren). He had three grandchildren whom he adored, Andrew Dion, and Megan and Erin Ablett. He was predeceased by his parents and by his siblings, Eleanor, Elmer, Roger, Merlin, and Janet.
Our family would like to thank his extensive circle of friends for the wonderful friendships you had with our Dad over the years. It meant the world to him. We would like to thank the wonderful staff and the fellow residents at Optima Inglewood for making his last seven years so enjoyable. We would also like to thank the caring and compassionate staff at the Innisfail Health Center for taking such good care of him in his last few days.
A Celebration of Marvin’s Life will be held at Parkland Funeral Home, 6287 – 67 A Street (Taylor Drive), Red Deer, Alberta, on Friday, July 18 at 1:00 p.m. For those unable to attend the Celebration of Life, please go to www.parklandfuneralhome.com and click on the Live Stream button just prior to 1:00 p.m. If desired, Memorial Donations in Marvin’s honor can be made to the Red Deer Twilight Homes Foundation online at www.canadahelps.org or to a Charity of the donor’s Choice. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.parklandfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements in care of Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium, 6287 – 67 A Street (Taylor Drive), Red Deer. 403-340-4040.