Bruce Macdonald

Bruce Alexander MacDonald, 66, of Kerrville, Texas, passed away on the ninth of June, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Donald Alexander MacDonald and Dorothy Ann Hammersmith on the 3rd of July, 1948. He married Barbara Diane Campbell on the 16th of December, 1995, in the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Kensington, Maryland.\r\n\r\nHe placed a high value on life-long education, beginning with Brooklyn High School in Cleveland, Ohio. His activities in high school included playing the trombone in the school band (an instrument he had played since the third grade, and which he continued to play with a local band after retirement), football, National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honorary). He was captain of the Brooklyn High School Academic Challenge Team - a team which participated in the television academic quiz program, and which scored the most points in the history of the program to that date. He graduated in 1966 as the Valedictorian of his graduating class. His education continued with an undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1971, a Master of Public Administration degree from the Golden Gate University in San Francisco in 1976, a Master of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of New Hampshire in 1983, and a PhD in Operations Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1987. Also in 1987, he was inducted into the Brooklyn High School Hall of Fame for academic and career accomplishments.\r\n\r\nBeing very patriotic, he entered the US Air Force in 1971 after completing his undergraduate study, and served for 20 years as a pilot, international politico-military affairs officer, and scientific analyst. In addition to flying the FB-111 strategic bomber, he served as a training instructor for new pilots. He loved flying and throughout the rest of his life, when asked what he had done for a living, he would proudly reply "I am a pilot." While living in the Washington DC area, for recreation, he flew small planes out of Dulles International Airport with his wife whenever he could.\r\n\r\nAfter retiring from the Air Force, he worked for a variety of companies doing statistical analyses and related work in support of systems modeling. He belonged to a number of professional organizations, and served in leadership positions in several.\r\n\r\nA major part of his life in the last 20 years was devoted to his work in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Both he and his wife served in the Washington DC Temple and for ten years in the San Antonio Temple of their church. He loved helping people, and spent much of his time after retirement doing so. Although he would sometimes use his academic knowledge to help, he was just as likely to be found mowing lawns or providing transportation to San Antonio for those who needed it. He loved people, had a gentle heart, and had a talent for being able to encourage others. His kind heart extended also to love of animals, and he was absolutely devoted to his two dogs (Laddie and Amanda) and two cats (Midnight and Princess).\r\n \r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents and a younger brother, Douglas Ian MacDonald. He is survived by his wife Barbara; brothers Gordon Scott MacDonald and wife Maryellen, and Kenneth MacDonald and wife Marilyn; and three children by a previous marriage (and five grandchildren): Donald Scott MacDonald and wife Kate and children Kaeli and Alexander, Bonnie MacDonald Bennett and children Robert Keller, Jordan Zucker, and Ariel Grace Bennett, and his youngest son James Stewart MacDonald. He is also survived by an uncle, Robert MacDonald.\r\n\r\nHe was a loving and affectionate husband and a man whose legacy of encouragement and service to others will live on beyond his death. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.\r\n\r\nA viewing at the Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville will be held Tuesday June 16th from 6-8 pm. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday June 17th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at Lois and Coronado St., Kerrville. Military honors and burial will take place at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio at 2:30 the same day. \r\n\r\nMemorials may be given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or to a charity of the donor's choice. \r\n\r\n[contact-form-7 id="73" title="Send Condolences"]