After slapping cancer in the face multiple times in the last 7 years, Bruce succumbed to complications from his bone marrow transplant. He passed away in Seattle, WA. on the  19th of November 2017. Bruce was 59 years old. He was in the comforting presence of many family members as he mentioned the “passageway” before he died.

Bruce was born on June 1st, 1958 to Merle and Janice (Dudley) Baldwin. He was their 3rd son, with a sister to follow. His birth and childhood were all spent in Pomeroy, WA.  Bruce attended school there, graduating from high school in 1976. He took pride in being the editor of the high school newspaper. He accomplished his first three years of college at Whitman in Walla Walla, where he played a year on the football team before the program was discontinued. Bruce was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He finished his last year of college at W.S.U. with a B.A. in Liberal Arts.

Bruce had many jobs in the Grain Industry following in his father’s footsteps. He worked for a time for the Lewiston Grain Growers as well as Quincy Farm Chemicals before finding his true calling as the manager of the Palouse Grain Growers. The foresight of himself and his board of directors, have kept the company from being sold to any of the larger grain companies in this area.

On May 25th, 1985 his big, generous heart and arms welcomed Charlene and his 4 stepchildren into his life. They were married in Pomeroy and moved to Palouse on June 1st of that year for him to start his new job at Palouse Grain Growers. They raised their family in Palouse. Char and Bruce made a great team. They brought the best out in each other. As a father to his stepchildren, Bruce jumped in with both feet supporting the kids emotionally and financially.

Bruce was on the Palouse city council for many years. He was the mayor of Palouse from 1996 to 2000.  He had only been in office a short time when the 500 year flood hit town. The responsibility of keeping the town’s well from flooding weighed heavily on his shoulders. He felt civic duty was an honor and he was happy to serve the city of Palouse. Bruce had been organizing the Red Cross Blood drives in Palouse for a short time before his passing. After the importance of how many times donated blood saved his life, he felt that that was his duty as well.  He was unable to donate blood himself so this was the way he felt he could contribute to this life-saving  project.

Golfing and skiing were favorite activities for Bruce before losing his leg. He also spent several years selling antiques with his wife. Of course through thick and thin he was a die-hard Cougar fan. He also enjoyed tinkering, building, and repurposing in his garage. Bruce was also an avid Rock and Roll enthusiast and had an extensive vinyl collection.  One of his favorite passions was finding and sharing craft brews with friends. ” The darker, the better,” was his motto. He was a founding member of the crew for the “Palouse Cabin Fever” event.                  

He is survived by his wife, Char at the family home in Palouse. Three of his step children Torrey (Scott) Beeson of Palouse, Tim Demand also of Palouse and Jolynn Gerardi of Orlando, FL. are also left behind. He is survived as well by his father Merle Baldwin Lewiston, ID., his brother Mark (Carla) Baldwin Corvallis, OR.  brother,  Randy (Diane) Baldwin Redmond, OR.  his sister Jennifer (Chris) Ashby in Lewiston, ID. Numerous nieces and nephews as well as 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren also survive him. His mother, Janice Baldwin, all of his grandparents, and Bruce’s stepson, Sgt. Jacob H. Demand entered the Kingdom before him.

A memorial service is planned for Bruce on Saturday Dec. 9th at 2:00p.m. in the Palouse school gymnasium at. Memorial donations in his name can be made to The American Cancer Society (for memorials call 800-227-2345,) or the Palouse Community Center.    

Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse, WA is handling the arrangements.  You are invited to leave online condolences and order flowers for the family at www.kramercares.com.

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