J. Clarke Bruce

Jay Clarke Bruce



The Lord brought Clarke into our lives on June 30, 1926. He called him home on August 23, 2014 to join his beloved wife, Locada Katie Johnson Bruce, son Jay Bruce, sister, Virginia Duncan and parents Jay Bruce and Fern Hein and stepfather, Lewis Hein. And we cannot forget Turbo and Toby; they are waiting for him, also.



Funeral services for Jay Clarke Bruce will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 28th at the Juniata United Methodist Church with Reverend Dr. Lee Wigert officiating. Burial will be in the Juniata Cemetery with Military Rites. Visitation will be held from 2:00 -8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27th at the Apfel Funeral Home in Hastings. Memorials may be given to the Juniata United Methodist Church or the Juniata American Legion Post # 365 in his memory. Online condolences may be sent at apfelfuneralhome.com.



Clarke was born in Norman, Nebraska the son of Jay and Fern (Thomas) Bruce. He attended elementary grades at the Norman Pubic Schools. His father worked for the railroad and Clarke was able to ride the trains and spend time at the depot while his father was working. During these years he had fond memories of riding the train to Alma and Minden. In 1939 the Burlington Railroad Route closed the depot in Norman and his father bid the position of Juniata Station Agent. His seniority was enough to receive the bid and he moved the family to their new home in Juniata. Clarke was 13 at this time.



At age 16 and in the 10th grade he left the Juniata High School and was accepted in the NYA, National Youth Administration, in Minnesota as an Aviation Mechanic. The NYA was a New Deal Agency that focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 24. Clarke was transferred to Hill Field in Ogden, Utah. He reported to the draft board when he was 18, yes, he was still 16, and was issued a draft registration and proceeded to sign up with the Navy. Boot camp was in Farragut, Idaho. He was in Camp Ward, Cross Country, and Company 573-43. Clarke graduated from boot camp on September 9, 1943. During this time a forest fire broke out in Canada and all graduates traveled in 6 cattle cars to help put the fire out. Life was definitely different back then.



During the war the government issued each American family a war ration book and tokens. They also issued service men coupons so when Clarke returned to Juniata for a one week leave, he brought back coupons for his family to use. These were used to purchase sugar, gas, tires, meat, silk and shoes among other items. The following week his parents drove him to Grand Island to the train station and he headed to Farragut, Idaho for basic training and then to San Diego Naval Air Station for gunnery school. After 6 months of training he was shipped to the Pacific, including the Marshall Islands, Guam and various islands in the South and West Pacific. Clarke spent the next two years in the Pacific until the war was over. It was here that he hit a crossroad in his life. He was back in the states finishing his rehabilitation leave and his orders were to go back to the Pacific. While his train was taking on water in Nevada he decided to disregard his orders. He got off the train. He thought about it briefly and considered the alternatives, what else was he going to do with his life if he didnt stay in the Navy and go back to the Pacific? He did get back on the train only to find out his orders had been changed. To his surprise he had been reassigned to Litchfield Park in Arizona to shuttle planes between San Diego Naval Air Station and Litchfield Air Park. This is where he stayed until he was discharged. Servicemen were released on the point system. Points were given for months of service, months overseas, medals, marital status and children under 18. Clarke was awarded 3 campaign medals while serving in the Pacific. The most memorable was the medal for the Philippine Liberation. Clarke returned to Juniata and then moved to Lake Providence, Louisiana and became a part-owner of a gas station. He painted steel buildings, even though he didnt have any experience and he made enough money to pay off his debts and came back home to Nebraska.



He moved to Lincoln and enrolled in the Lincoln Aviation Institute while working for the Burlington Refrigerator Express. It was at this time he met Katie. Capital Beach was a common hangout for young adults and after an afternoon of roller skating, Katie and he friends went for a ride on the Ferris wheel on seat #11. Clarke was looking for a night of fun with the boys. It was here they met and stayed together the rest of their lives.



In 1949 they moved to Deadwood, South Dakota and Clarke worked in the gold mine in Lead. Clarke and Katie were married on April 21, 1949 at the Methodist Church in Deadwood. Clarke was not fond of working underground and found that the Fort Mead Veterans Hospital in Sturgis would hire him if Katie came to work for them, too. In late 1950 Katie and Clarke moved to Grand Island, Nebraska and both transferred to the new Veterans Hospital. In 1951 they moved to Juniata and Clarke went to work for the City of Hastings and was employed as a meter reader for one year. He then worked out of the North Denver Station, and in 1980 was transferred to the Waylan Energy Center. In 1988, Clarke came back to the North Denver Station as Chief Dispatcher and was in charge of online buying and selling electricity and natural gas. He lacked a few days of having 45 years with the City. He had not taken any sick days in 18 years. He retired from the City in 1996 and drove the school bus for Juniata Public Schools while working as a night security guard at Armour. During his working years he kept very busy, while working fulltime at the City he would pick up part-time jobs such as helping build two local schools, Ebco and driving a taxi cab. Their first child, Jay, was born in Deadwood on January 13, 1950. It was 36 degrees below zero. He passed away in 2004. They had two children born in Hastings, Mike on September 10, 1953 and Lori on August 21, 1956. His wife Katie passed away January 26, 2011; they were married over 60 years. Clarke was a life member of the Juniata American Legion Post #346, the VFW in Hastings and the UCT.



Clarke is survived by his son, Michael Bruce of Juniata and his daughter, Lori Oliveros of Lincoln, Nebraska, 9 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and a sister, Ardis Comfort of Lawrence, Kansas.