Bruce Reese

Bruce was born on August 3, 1923 in Provo, Utah, the second son of David and Bessie Johnson Reese. He spent most of his youth in Provo, with short periods in Milford and Springville. After graduating from Provo High School in 1941, he enrolled in the Navy and began his training as an engineer. He spent two years at BYU before moving to the University of New Mexico in 1943. He earned his BS at UNM in 1945.

While at BYU, Bruce met the love of his life, Barbara Taylor of American Fork. They were married on June 20, 1945, honeymooned briefly in San Francisco, and parted as Bruce sailed for the Pacific just as the war ended. Reunited in early 1946, he and Barbara moved to West Lafayette, Indiana to attend Purdue University where they planned to get his masters degree and return to Utah. The two of them never made it back to Utah. Bruce got his masters and PhD in aeronautical engineering at Purdue and served as a professor and administrator for 33 years. Bruce retired from Purdue in 1979 after serving as director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and head of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. While on leave from Purdue in the early 1960s in Huntsville, Alabama, Bruce served as technical director of the Nike Zeus and Nike X programs, with technical supervision for all of the US Army's research and development activities in ballistic missile defense. After retiring from Purdue, he and Barbara moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee where he was chief scientist at the US Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center. In 1983, they moved back to Huntsville where he worked for the Army Strategic Defense Command as Deputy Commander for Engineering. He finished his professional career as a consultant. Recognized for his work on the scientific advisory boards of all three military services and twice awarded the Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Bruce assisted in the development of most of the then-present weapons systems in the U.S.

Bruce and Barbara remained in Huntsville until Barbara passed away in 2000, after 54 years of marriage. Bruce finally came back to Utah in 2001, 55 years after he left "temporarily." It took him a couple of years to understand where all the people and traffic had come from.

Bruce and Barbara (he would often say, "mostly Barbara") raised three children: Bruce T., Michael and Pamela. The children were a source of great pride to both of them. Their home was a place of support, love, demand for excellence, and fun. He and Barbara were the first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to arrive at Purdue after WWII. As other graduate students arrived, a branch and then ward were created, and the Reeses were among those known as the "parents" of the Purdue Ward. He served actively and faithfully in many Church callings over the years, including as a member of the district high council in the early 1950s, a Scoutmaster in the 1960s, and most recently as an assistant ward financial clerk, where his primary responsibilities were opening the envelopes, making sure the donation slip was correct, and driving the deposit to the bank in his signature 1995 Lincoln Town Car. He probably enjoyed teaching best, and teaching Primary the very best.

He was also renowned for being the best hugger in any ward in which he lived, even after such behavior became politically incorrect. As he would say, "I'm very popular with young children and older women." Barbara never completely approved of this behavior. He loved and was thoroughly frustrated by both fishing and golf. He adored and was adored by his family. He almost never saw a western he wouldn't watch several times. Bruce's keen mind, his sense of humor, his total lack of pretention, his gentle prodding to be better all the time, and his generosity of spirit will be missed.

He is survived by his son Bruce T.(Lu Anne) Reese, Cottonwood Heights, Utah; his daughter Pamela (Dan) Frost, Denver; Colorado; his daughter-in-law Linda Reese, Powder Springs, Georgia; twelve grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Barbara; his brother Richard and his sister Jean; and his son Michael.

The family wishes to thank all the friends and family who have reached out to Bruce with love and kindness through the past weeks as he has strived to join Barbara and his other departed loved ones. Particular thanks to the members of the Cottonwood 11th Ward, who have kept him close. Our gratitude goes also to all the medical professionals who have seen him through a complex set of challenges over the past 15 years, and to the staff at CareSource, who have been so good to him during his hospice stay.