Gwendolyn "Louise" (Blandford) Bruce

Funeral services for Gwendolyn (Louise) Bruce will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, Dec 6, 2019, in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Sam Duncan officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery.

Louise was born Jan. 5, 1928, in Shamrock, TX, to Marie Leota and Ray Caldwell Blandford, and died Nov. 30, 2019 in Waxahachie, TX.  She was the sixth child of eleven.  When she was a young child, the family moved to Portales, which they considered the garden of Eden having lush fields and plenty of work for the family.

After graduating from Portales High School, she married Howard Leon Bruce Sr.  They made their home in Portales for several years.  They eventually lived in Louisiana and Texas so he could work in the Philips Petroleum oil fields.  When their children, Howard and Robyn, were in elementary school, they moved back to Portales to attend Eastern New Mexico University.  Louise went on to complete her degree in English and Elementary Education at North Texas State College.  After graduation, she taught first through 8th grades and especially loved teaching science and history. 

After retirement, Louise and Leon moved to Conchas Dam as their long time home where Leon was the pastor of Conchas Baptist Church for several years.  They loved their service and friendships at Conchas as well as friendships across the state. 

Louise is preceded in death by her husband, H. Leon Bruce Sr.; her son, Howard L. Bruce Jr.; grandsons Cameron Taylor Bruce and Traisse Gentry Summers.  She also lost her sisters Viola and Ora, as well as brothers Jack, Paul, Dale, Bob, and Buck.  She is survived by her daughter Robyn (Joe); her granddaughter Tisha Straight and children Hannah, Ian, and Lucas; her grandson David Rosser (Betsy) and children Mason and Owen; her granddaughter Brandi (Randy) Summers and children Matthew (Ashleigh), Kyla and Jacob; her grandson Cayle Bruce and children Channing and Addison; her granddaughter Carrie (Jake) Johnson and children Gabriel and Taylor; her grandson Scott Bruce; and great-great-grandson Lukas Summers.  She is also survived by her older brother R. C. Blandford, younger brother Jerry Blandford, and younger sister Linda Bell.  There are also many beloved nieces and nephews. 

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