Bruce William Newton

Bruce William Newton passed away peacefully at Vernon Jubilee Hospital on September 8th, 2025 at the age of 93. Born on February 5th, 1932 in the rural municipality of Cameron, Manitoba to Beulah and Frank Newton, Bruce was the second youngest of eight children, including his youngest brother Al who he shared a special bond with. Bruce arrived in Vernon in 1969 and worked for J. S. Galbraith & Sons, B.C. Equipment Ltd., CAE Equipment, and Vulcan Equipment before setting up his own business, Big Wrench Contracting Ltd. Bruce was a naturally gifted mechanic who could solve any challenge presented to him and proudly achieved many trade certifications to work across Canada and globally. As a heavy-duty mechanic and charge hand for over 65 years, Bruce trained many apprentices and helped them to build their careers as their mentor and friend. Bruce was a charismatic and talented entertainer. He loved quoting cowboy poetry, playing his guitar, singing country & western songs, and telling stories that always kept his audiences enthralled. He was passionate about natural health and healing and would share his knowledge with anyone who would listen. As a widely-travelled man who loved to explore the world, Bruce always lived life on his own terms. He married twice-first to Jean Sinton (predeceased in 2003) with whom he had 3 daughters Tracy, Kim & Rona, and secondly to Ailsa Witt (predeceased in 2020), with whom he enjoyed a loving marriage of almost 51 years. Ailsa was born in Australia and met Bruce on a world cruise, after which she emigrated to Canada to start a new life with him in Vernon. Together they had 2 children, a daughter and a son Shannon & Regan (Susan). Along with his 5 children, Bruce is survived by his 6 grandchildren Joshua (Ashna), Adam (Meredith), Remington (Barry), Kirsten (Kayne), Serenity, and Savannah. Additionally, he is survived by his beloved brother Albert, sisters-in-law Shirley Newton & Nettie Newton, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Special mention to his many close friends in Vernon and across Canada, including Wayne Lintott (his friend & trusted confidant of over 50 years), Jay Morgan (with whom he shared a deep friendship and brotherly love) and many others too numerous to mention.

As Bruce would say, “The thing is, we’re all here because we’re not all there” Catch you on the flip side, we’ll be right! “

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday September 26th at 10:00 AM at Pleasant Valley Funeral Home 4303 Pleasant Valley Rd, Vernon, BC.