Trenetta Bruce

Trenetta "Trene" Bruce, 61, of Manchaca, passed into eternal life on Monday, June 1, 2009 after a courageous 9-year battle with cancer. She was born the third of five children on March 2, 1948 in Greenville, Mississippi. Her formative years were spent in St. Louis, but the family eventually settled in Dallas, Texas where Trene graduated from Kimball High School in 1966. In her youth, she was active in softball, dancing and tennis. Family members describe Trene as "the smart one" and the sweet middle child. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and grandmother, devoted to her family throughout her life. Trene married Ronald Bruce in 1969, and they moved from Fort Worth to Manchaca in 1984. She became a leader of the Buda 4-H Club where she spent many years mentoring and supporting area youth. Later, Trene worked at the Book Exchange on Manchaca Road and as an administrative assistant at Jack C. Hays High School before beginning a 16-year career at the Texas Workforce Commission. During this time she developed many treasured friendships and truly enjoyed going to work every day. Trene rededicated herself to Christ in 1991 and became an active member of Hays Hills Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and was a youth sponsor. She described joining the church as "coming home" and began building the foundation of faith that would sustain her through her long and difficult battle with cancer. She also developed some of the deepest and most meaningful friendships of her life. Trene had a wonderful sense of humor and a joy for living that permeated everything she did. The antics and laughter she shared with her friends in the "Birthday Club" helped her stay young at heart to the end. She loved being a grandmother and often wished she could have done that first. She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Ronald Bruce; daughter, Karen Shelton and husband Ryan of Buda; daughter, Kim Bruce and partner Jan Crawley of Dallas; daughter, Shelly Wilson and husband Stephen of Dallas; mother, Cortaza Brandenburg of Quinlan; sister, Carol Downing and husband Norm of Houston; brother, Cutter Brandenburg and wife Peggy of Temple; sister, Virginia Brandenburg of Quinlan; grandchildren, Luke and Drew Shelton and Skylar and Sadie Wilson; and her dear friends in the "Birthday Club." She is preceded in death by her father, Robert Olin Brandenburg, Jr. and her brother, Garry Brandenburg. Trene received the highest quality of compassionate care from Dr. Robert Kerr, Dr. Timothy Dziuk and Dr. Laura Bunch of Texas Oncology; Dr. Rammurti Kamble of the Baylor College of Medicine and Methodist Hospital in Houston, along with his staff in the Cell and Gene Therapy department; the wonderful nurses on the 7th floor at Seton; and Hospice of Austin and the staff of The Christopher House. Her most tender caregiver was her beloved husband Ron, and she often said how grateful she was to have his devotion and love during her illness. Visitation will be held Thursday evening, June 4 from 6 pm to 8 pm, at Weed-Corley-Fish, 2620 South Congress Ave. Funeral services will be Friday, June 5, at Hays Hills Baptist Church, 1401 FM 1626 in Buda beginning at 10 am. Internment will be at Live Oak cemetery. Donations can be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Central Texas Chapter, 9211 Waterford Centre Boulevard, Suite 275, Austin, TX 78758.