On the evening of January 27th, 2022, Bruce passed away quietly at home after an extended battle with cancer. He was being comforted by family and friends at the time of his passing. Bruce was 80 years old.
Bruce Davidson was born in Helena Montana on December 27th, 1941, to Thomas G. Davidson and Edna Mae Britzman. He was the oldest of two sons.
Bruce grew op on the family dairy farm in the Helena valley. He was active in 4H, basketball, baseball as well as a taking care of the family dairy. He attended Helena High School and graduated in the class of 1960.
After High School, Bruce attended Carroll College. He graduated in 1964 and went on to be drafted into the Army in 1967 and served in Germany and Vietnam until 1969.
In 1969, Bruce married Judith Ellis and had two daughters and two sons. He went on to teach school in Harrison and Gardiner.
After separating, Bruce moved back to Helena in the late 70’s to take a position at the Kaiser Permanente Cement plant in Montana City.
While living in East Helena, he met and married an English teacher by the name of Glenda Buckley in 1986. They were married until Glenda’s death in 2017.
Bruce was passionate about the Carroll College Saints and his faith in Jesus Christ, and he talked about both frequently and with a gleam in his eye. When the Saints were in town, you could find him in the stands cheering them on. On Sunday, you could always find him in his usual seat at Life Church. He spoke often of Pastor Leiberg and his many friends there.
Bruce was an extraordinarily generous man. He gave to multiple charities and was always willing to help those in need.
Bruce is preceded in death by his father Thomas, his mother Edna, his brother, Gordon, his son Gavin, and his beloved wife Glenda. Bruce is survived by daughter Heather, daughter Haley, son Thayer, stepson Mathew, grandchildren Gavin, Sydney, Zane, Cedryk, Tobias, Travis, Scarlet, Jonathan, and Bridget, great-grandchildren Apple, Zoe, and River.
Special thanks go out to the doctors and nurses at the St. Peter’s Cancer Center, especially Dr. Tom Weiner. Also, the amazing nurses of St. Peter’s hospice.
Please send condolences or any final comments regarding Bruce to aswfuneralhome.com or stevensonwilke.com.
Please send any donations to Florence Crittendon Home or God’s Love.
Leanne Collins Buckley says
Papa Bruce,
You will be missed but we will take solace in the fact that you and Grandma GG are reunited!
Love Leanne and Scarlett
Randy Hendrix says
Bruce was one of my best friends in college. He and I attended Carroll and both graduated from Carroll. Bruce and a couple of other friends had good voices. We spent friday and saturday night having jam sessions and singing country music like Charlie Pride, Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins. Sometimes we drove Last Chance Gulch with one of us strumming guitar in the back seat and the others singing. Always ended up at Gerties drive in for hamburgers.
Bruce was a groomsman in our wedding in 1965. We moved to Alaska and lived up there 42 years. I had not seen Bruce in 50 years but looked him up a couple of years ago when I visited my brother in Helena. We shared many laughs about our college days. I have emailed and called him since then to give him support in his fighting cancer. Grateful for our friendship. Our deepest sympathy to Bruce’s family for their loss. Randy and Connie Hendrix
Bob Andersen says
Bruce and I grew up very near each other in the Helena Valley. Always a good friend. Many great memories from those days. We graduated together from HHS. We went our separate ways from then on only touching base at reunions. Best thoughts to his family.
Daniel Brooke says
“Mr Davidson” as we knew him taught our class of 1971 at Harrison school Harrison Mt. He began his travail with us in the 8th grade and returned from military service and Vietnam for our final years in high school. I think he had a profound affect on all of us both in class and on the basketball court. He was one of those rare upper one percent of instructors who changed lives always for the best. I think to a man and woman each of us respected Bruce unconditionally.
We only had a snapshot of part of this man’s life while he was at Harrison but he was the finest human being in every way.
Thank you Mr. Davidson for all that you have given us and for you example of a generous loving caring man.
Scott Rader says
I worked with Bruce out at the cement plant. I truly enjoyed working with him and really enjoyed his sense of humor. I ribbed him often and he threw it right back at me. It certainly made the job a lot better no matter what it was. He was indeed a great guy and will be missed. My deepest condolences out to the family. Godspeed Bruce!
Betty Bates Waller says
I think Bruce’s Dad and mine worked together, maybe at Fort Peck dam when it was built. Then he met my Mother Alice and Tommie met Mom’s sister Edna. I was born in Helena when they lived there. Dad was a Mason and built several homes that are still standing.
Loved Aunt Edna and visited her a couple of years before she passed. Wish I had know my cousins better.
Sad times. Been there the last few years.