Bruce Detterich

Born February 26, 1942, to Clarence (Al) and Eugenia (Jean/Chickie) Detterich in Washington D.C., Bruce Cordell Detterich was a beloved son and brother. He grew up moving with his family between the east and west coasts without complaint, but rather made the best of each new situation. Like in D.C. where he learned to fend for himself through long bus rides to school, and in Napa Valley where he learned to love the outdoors through childhood expeditions across fields and streams. Bruce was nurtured by diversity and appreciated every minute of it. Those formative years cultivated a man with the ability to see to the heart of a problem and with the fortitude to work for a solution. Those years built Bruce into the intelligent, strong, loyal, and loving husband, father, engineer/philosopher, and papa that our family and friends were blessed to know, love, and respect.

It is difficult to list in this short passage all of his achievements ranging from the professional, such as Eagle Scout to academic and engineering awards, to the personal, such as over 50 years of marriage, 5 children, and 17 grandchildren. But what we will all miss and remember the most are those little moments that each of us shared with him, those stored up bits and bytes in our brains that he so many times reminded us to use. We’ll remember his nicknames for us, the funky songs he’d sing to us, those very long words in Latin he’d recite to us, the childhood memories he’d share with us, the giant hugs he’d give to us, the hamming, hunting, prepping, and four-wheeling skills he’d teach to us, the tough love advice he’d impart to us, and the high expectations he’d hold in us. Our brother, husband, dad, papa, brother, friend, and colleague will live on in all of us. And dare we say, it is our moral imperative to be his legacy, a legacy worth that brilliant, loving, and hard-working man, Bruce Cordell (Brucey, Beeba, W6UAD, Papa D) Detterich.

In honor of Bruce and Pat, please donate to the La Habra Life Center. Details listed below. Thank you! 

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