David R Bruck
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David R. Bruck, 83, died at sunrise July 1, 2021, with his beloved wife at his side. He was at peace in mind and spirit after a six-day illness.
David was born David Ralph Bruckelmeyer on February 11, 1938, the third son of Catherine (O'Brien) and Frederick Lynn Bruckelmeyer III in Minneapolis, MN. Daves's father was in the U.S. Navy during WWII and had to hand-stencil his entire name on all his uniforms. The first chance he got he changed his name to Fred L. Bruck. And Dave spent the rest of his life explaining, it's spelled like "truck" with a "B."
The family moved to Billings, Montana, when Dave was nine. He was enthralled with being a cowboy so his mother bought him an ornery old nag named Sally. To hear Dave tell it, that horse bit, kicked, and threw him off so many times he was done with Sally, and Dave's dream of being a real cowboy ended rather quickly.
Dave moved to Bozeman his junior year of high school and knew he had found his home. After graduation he attended college at MSU, then did a stint at Eastern in Billings. At some point he decided that he wasn't necessarily the studious type, so he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. While stationed at Alameda Naval Air Station in San Francisco, he met and married Joy Weisgerber.
After being discharged, he and Joy headed back to Montana. They lived in Bozeman for several years while Dave explored career options. He had been working in the insurance business for some time when he was offered a position in an insurance agency in Helena. After a time, Dave bought controlling interest of the agency and named it Montana International Insurance (MII), a name properly reflecting Dave's high aspirations.
Dave and Joy had three children: Bruce David, Todd Michael, and Lynn Renee. The family enjoyed many trips skiing in the winter and waterskiing in the summer. All the kids were involved in sports during high school and Dave attended virtually every football and basketball game and drill team performance, including out-of-town games. He and Joy went their separate ways when the children were grown.
With Dave hiring good men and women, MII quickly grew to one of the largest independent agencies in the state. Dave was very involved with the Independent Insurance Agencies of Montana, eventually serving as president of IIAM. One of his pet projects was education, and Dave was hired at Carroll College to teach Risk Management and Insurance. He taught as an adjunct professor for about six years until a new college president discovered he didn't have the necessary teaching credentials. After teaching at Carroll, Dave took great pride in mentoring many of the young men and women from his classes. Even while he was in the hospital, he was sharing information and giving his opinion when visitors stopped by. Dave sold MII in 1985 and retired, only to join the firm of Anna Co. investments, where he served as vice-president of marketing. He was with the firm for 25 years.
Dave met Gaynell Whealon through the insurance industry. After asking her out, twice, she agreed to a date. Theirs was a fun and exciting courtship, and after asking her to marry him, twice, she said yes, and they were married June 5, 1986. The marriage added two children, Dustin and Christopher Whealon, to the family. He loved the boys as his own and enjoyed family life helping to raise them. Dave and Gaynell celebrated their 35th anniversary just weeks before his passing.
For twenty years Corte Bella, Arizona, was their second home. Dave had the best of retirement there - golf, happy hours, poker games, going to the theatre right after falling in a friends' pool, and forever earning himself the name "Brave Duck." The couple made many life-long friends at Corte Bella. Dave and Gaynell had a special affection for Hawaii and the island of Molokai, spending a few months a year there for several years. The family also travelled to Maui twice, once when the boys were young and once to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
Dave enjoyed many diverse hobbies. He began skiing when he moved to Montana and, when he was at MSU, he spent more time at Bridger than he did in class. He became very involved with the Ski Patrol at Bridger and was the first paid Ski Patrolman on the mountain. When he and his family moved to Helena he became involved with Belmont and served in many volunteer capacities. His skiing adventures took him to British Columbia skiing the Monasheess, the Bugaboos, and the Caribous, once skiing with Hans Gmoser, founder of Rocky Mountain Holidays. Dave was also an avid marathon runner, hiker and golfer.
Another of Dave's lifelong interests was aircraft and flight. After taking flying lessons he got his license and soon after he found himself in the middle of a lightning storm. When he landed on terra firma he swore he'd never pilot a plane again. And he didn't, except in the second seat. Dave took flight on many wonderful WWII planes including his friend's P-51, a memory of a lifetime for Dave. He was even afforded the opportunity to ride in the SNOOPY 2 blimp during one of the Pro golf tournaments he and Gaynell attended. On his 80th birthday Dave flew in a glider plane over the Phoenix valley.
Dave supported many charitable foundations in his life including the Florence Crittendon Home where he was the co-chair of the building committee. Dave also volunteered with many organizations including the YMCA and St. Peter's Hospital, and was a member of the Shriners.
Dave shared a special love with his five-year-old granddaughter, Ciara May Whealon. Papa helped care for her three days a week and theirs were fun days reading books, playing boop and LCR, and letting Gammie rest. One thing very few people knew was that Dave was an excellent whistler, even whistling arias without missing a note. Dave was an intelligent, thoughtful, kind and generous man who loved his family, his friends and his wife.
Dave is survived by his wife Gaynell; children Bruce Bruck of Bozeman, Todd Bruck of Great Falls, Lynn Bruck of Helena, Dustin Whealon (Tracy) of Missoula, and Christopher Whealon (Kristin Bray) of Helena; grandchildren Nolan Bruck and Ciara May Whealon; step-grandchildren CJ and Carma Fritz; brother Tom of Boise, ID; and extended family Jim and Artha Mae Whealon, Kay Johnson, and Dan, Janna, Kaitlin, and Hanna Kroll. Dave was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Bill and Bill's wife Wendy, sister-in-law Mary Bruck, brother-in-law Hugo Lee Hansen, son-in-law Keith Kallio, daughter-in-law Becky Bruck, and extended family member Ray Mills.
A celebration of life will be held at Anderson Stevenson Wilke on Tuesday, July 27, at 1:00 p.m., with a reception following at the Green Meadow Country Club. There will be a private burial of ashes at FT. Harrison with military honors earlier in the day.
Donations are suggested to the Carroll College football field fund, St. Peter's Hospice, Food Share, or a charity of the donor's choice.
Dave was a good man.
Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Dave.