October 29, 1944 – March 1, 2021
A committed follower of Christ and one-of-a-kind husband, daddy, and granddaddy, Bruce Dayton’s faith became sight on Monday evening, March 1, 2021, when he joyfully continued his remarkable life in the presence of his beloved Redeemer. Although everyone who ever met him would say he was a good man, Bruce would tell you that he is but a sinner saved by the grace of God and that there is nothing good in him but for the goodness of his Lord. One thing is for certain, Bruce lived a life of selfless devotion in his 76 years in this world.
First and foremost, Bruce was a man that truly walked with God. To Bruce, his relationship with Christ was simply everything, and he was a follower, a disciple, and an unashamed proclaimer of Jesus wherever he went. We take comfort in knowing that Bruce has now been reacquainted and will spend eternity with a lot of people that heard the gospel from Bruce and put their faith in Christ. His friends and family will tell you that he was a faithful man of prayer, and would always take the time to pray for you or share scriptures from the bible, which was truly a lamp unto his feet and light unto his path since the moment he first met the Lord.
A committed husband, Bruce dearly loved, honored and cherished his beautiful wife Mimi for over 49 years. Above any other interest in this world, Bruce wholly devoted himself to Mimi and their two children, Bruce and Julie, and his beloved 7 grandkids: Grace, Isaac, Max, Grant, Sammy, Beau and Zoe. We are so grateful that all of his children and grandchildren were able to spend the last 5 years together in the Hickory, North Carolina area. Additional survivors include his beloved brother Doug and wife Nancy, as well as nieces and nephews in Connecticut. Bruce’s life and testimony as a godly husband, father and grandfather, will set an example for many generations to come. His final hours singing hymns with outstretched arms praising God with his wife and children was the perfect conclusion for an earthly life well lived unto the Lord, and a beautiful way to enter into the eternal presence of the Master.
A truly patriotic American his whole life, Bruce courageously served his beloved country in the Vietnam war with the United States Navy. Following his service to our nation, Bruce’s life of self-sacrifice continued in his work for 36 years as a nurse anesthetist at hospitals throughout Ohio and North Carolina. Countless people with critical health situations were helped by Bruce’s loving care in the operating room. His devotion also extended to the sweeter things in life, like making world-class desserts (especially pecan pie) for his friends and family, to becoming a masterful photographer who actually made photo shoots enjoyable for everyone, to a connoisseur of fine antiques, and to absolutely anything Ohio State.
A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held at Tri-City Baptist Church in Conover, North Carolina on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 2:00 p.m., with Rev. Hampton Drum officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 1:00 p.m to 1:45 p.m. Burial will take place in Marysville, Ohio at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please honor Bruce by considering a donation to distribute bibles through The Gideons International, www.gideons.org.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15.
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