Bruce N. Garnsey

Pastor Bruce N. Garnsey
of Sebring, FL
Pastor Bruce N. Garnsey, 93, of Sebring, FL, passed away at Florida Hospital, Sebring, FL, on March 23, 2009. He was surrounded by his wife and children. He was born in Pleasantville, NY, to the late Herbert and Grace (Nicholson) Garnsey on February 10, 1916. Pastor Bruce graduated from Northeastern University school of Engineering in Boston; married; for 63 years; the late (2002) B. Elizabeth Garnsey of Newton, MA, and went on to seminary school in Philadelphia. From there he became the minister of the Folcroft Union Church in suburban Philadelphia. In 1944, he moved his family to Grasmere, NH where he was pastor of the First Baptist Church. In 1960 he became the pastor of the Bridgewater Baptist Church in Montrose, PA until 1981. He then retired to Maranatha Village in Sebring, FL. He continued to preach and then became the pastor of the Sunny Pines Village Snowbird Church until declining health took over at age 90. He touched thousands of lives with his concern for the spiritual well-being of those he came in contact with. He wrote more than twenty gospel leaflets that were handed out at parades, toll booths, restaurants, prisons and churches across the country. His last conversation was from his hospital bed where he prayed for his family, by name, while 6 family members stood by him. When Pastor Garnsey was looking for relaxation, you could find him playing golf or fishing. He is survived by his loving wife, Audrey, whom he married at 88; 2 sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Sandy Garnsey, Lakeland, FL, Wayne and Jane Garnsey, Washingtonville, NY; daughter and son-in-law, Laurel and Tom Rudnik, Grand Rapids, MI; 5 grandchildren, Mrs. Kris (Mark) Bertoni, Lakeland, FL, Mrs. Kim (Gary) Martin, Xenia, OH, Brian (Angie) Garnsey, Mrs. Heather (Ken) Pierce, Baltimore, MD, and Dr. Ian Butler, Camden, NJ; 7 great grandchildren, Zach and Jason Bertoni, Adelyn and Aidan Pierce, Reagan Garnsey, Samantha and Josh Martin.
A Funeral Service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at the Daniel K. Regan Funeral Home, with Pastor Kenneth Garnsey officiating with assistance from Pastor Rick Rosenkrans of the Silver Lake Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in the Montrose Cemetery. A time of greeting will take place at 1 p.m.