Bruce Scott King

HAMILTON - Bruce Scott King was the best of men. On November 18, 2021, he quietly and painlessly slipped from this life into the presence of God. He was born to Henrietta and Willard King in Milwaukee, WI on November 11, 1928.

His early upbringing during the Great Depression taught him the importance of appreciating the simple things in life, the significance of strong family ties and an upright moral character. Two of his favorite places as a child were the Milwaukee County Library where he developed a lifelong love of reading and the local movie theater for Saturday morning double matinees. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean War and following his Honorable Discharge he earned a bachelor’s degree, in education, from Stout State College and started his career as an Industrial Arts Teacher, in 1958.

While working on his college degree, he met and began dating a pretty, young nursing student, named Joanne Fehrs, who lived in Denham, MN. They were married June 6,1959 in Sandstone, MN.  In 1959, Bruce and Joanne moved to Jordan, MT where he taught until 1961. In 1960, they welcomed their first daughter Lorena and then moved to Hamilton, in 1962. In 1964, their son David was born, and Bruce earned his master’s degree in education. In 1966, daughter Elizabeth was born. Bruce taught at Hamilton High School for 19 years and he retired from teaching in 1981.

He spent the last thirteen years of his working life building homes with his two younger brothers, Vernon and Roger. In 1990, he lost his wife Joanne in a tragic horse-riding accident after 31 years of marriage. Bruce never remarried because he always said he could never find anyone as perfect as Joanne. He spent his remaining years thoroughly enjoying traveling and spending time with family and friends at a variety of gatherings. He explored Scotland, Ireland, and England with his siblings and was delighted to visit his daughter Lorena while she taught in Taiwan. He made countless trips to Seattle spending time with Lorena and Liz and their families. Bruce cherished his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, celebrating and enjoying their special events.

Anyone who knew Bruce knew he was a man of utmost integrity and generosity. He spent countless hours refinishing and building furniture for and remodeling homes with his children and was able to enjoy building and tinkering into his late 80s. Bruce faithfully kept in touch writing letters to friends and family until shortly before his death. Bruce was a devout Christian having accepted Jesus when he was dating Joanne. He was a member of the Mountain View Wesleyan Church, in Hamilton, for 58 years. He and Joanne attended and served faithfully their entire time in Hamilton. Bruce loved children, babies in particular, and led the children’s scouting program at the church for more than 25 years.

Bruce was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne; his parents, Henrietta and Willard; sisters, Elsie, Florence, Sara; and brothers, Jasper, Carroll, Vernon, and Roger. He is survived by sister Judy Baruth, of Naples, ID; daughter, Lorena (Nolan) Palmer, of Seattle; son, David (Rhonda) King, of Hamilton; daughter, Liz (Mark) Strongman, of Seattle; and Luz Elena Lopez, whom he loved as a daughter, of Juchitán, Oaxaca, Mexico; granddaughters, Jonica Strongman (Keleian) Hicks, Sophia Strongman, and Olivia Palmer, all of Seattle, Vanessa (Zach) McFee, of Seguin, TX; grandsons, Byron (Kasey) King, of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jason (Hannah) King, of Mountain Home, ID; and five great-grandchildren: Lucien King, Eden King, Austin King, Parker McFee, and Isaac King; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will take place in the spring or summer of 2022. Donations can be made in his memory to The Gideons International, in which he was a longstanding member or a charity of your choice. In honor of Bruce and his lifelong love of and craftsmanship with wood, his family encourages everyone to plant a tree.

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