Bruce Dale Holtzendorff

      “Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Bruce Dale Holtzendorff, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

       He was the son of Dale and Bette Holtzendorff. Raised in Bellflower, California, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Bruce was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Bruce was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Bruce was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Bruce also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Bruce was raised with three siblings. He had three brothers, Chuck, Dave, and Lee. Bruce was constantly involved in activities with his family. Bruce and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Bruce was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Bruce was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In his spare time he liked to collect baseball cards.

      Bruce enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Bruce was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Bruce was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He graduated from Downey High School in 1967.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Bruce. On April 24, 1971 Bruce married Rae Gwinnup at Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church of Bellflower, California. He was totally committed to Rae and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Bruce naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Bruce disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Bruce was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Bruce was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Bruce was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Bruce was blessed with five children, daughters, Kandice and Karlene, sons, Bryan, Philip, and Thomas. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Joshua, Caleb, Matthew, and Seth.

      If you gave Bruce a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Bruce was always on task. Without hesitation, Bruce could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was Deputy Sheriff. He was employed for 27 years with Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. During that time, Bruce excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Bruce was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Bruce had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Bruce was an Air Force Veteran. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He was in the Vietnam War during 1970 and 1971, he also served stateside at McClellan Air Force Base and Lacklund Air Force Base.

      Bruce liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Bruce's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Bruce preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were camping, reading, history and geneologies, and visiting estate sales.

      Due to his excellent organizational skills, Bruce was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Bruce could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Bruce was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout his later years, Bruce was an active member of the Norwalk Historical Commission and the American Legion.

      Bruce was active in the community. He was practical and grounded and based his decisions on first hand experience. He was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Bruce was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for the Norwalk Historical Commission.

      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Bruce. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of the Foursquare Church for 24 years.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Bruce had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included a trip to Georgia to research his family history.

       When Bruce's retirement finally arrived in September 19, 1999, on his 50th birthday, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. In retirement, he found new pleasure in representing the Historical Commission and the American Legion. Even in retirement, Bruce continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

      Bruce passed away on March 2, 2009 at Kaiser Hospital in Bellflower, California. He had a stroke in November 2008, and passed due to complications. He is survived by his wife Rae; children, Kandy, Karlene, Bryan, Philip, Tommy; and his grandchildren, Joshua, Caleb, Matthew, and Seth; his brothers, Chuck, Dave, and Lee. Services will be held at Trinity Christian Center, Foursquare Church. Bruce will be laid to rest in Riverside National Cemetery.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Bruce was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Bruce was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Bruce Holtzendorff was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Bruce. He will be missed.