Bruce M. Cox

1943 - 2020

Bruce M. Cox

Bruce M. Cox died December 22 at his home in Reno, after complications from brain tumor surgery. He was born June 18, 1943, in San Diego, California, where he grew up in the community of Pacific Beach. He loved the ocean and always made sure to get into the water when he visited.

Bruce began his lifelong journey with music at age ten, playing his granddad's clarinet. With the support of his parents, he progressed with private lessons, band, and orchestra throughout his school years. In high school, he had a 16- piece dance band, The Star Dusters, and was the drum major of the marching band. While still in high school he haunted local jazz clubs and got to play bass sax with a blues band in Southeast San Diego.

He earned a Master's degree in Music and Music Education from San Diego State College, where he was in the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha. After graduation, he married Pamela Weidaw, a fellow musician, with whom he had two daughters. He taught band and choir at high schools in San Diego, CA, Oahu, Hawaii and South Lake Tahoe, CA. It was in Tahoe that Bruce learned carpentry and built his own home, eventually becoming a contractor.

He divorced in 1979 and in 1982, married Sandra Peame, the executive secretary at Harrah's in Reno, becoming a stepfather to her two sons. He moved to Reno, where he became a full-time musician at the MGM Grand for the iconic stage show "Hello Hollywood, Hello." He played two shows a night, six days a week, and still managed to build a beautiful home for himself and Sandie. They were married almost 40 years, loved to travel, and had a summer home in the mountains, where they coordinated the production of the Lake Almanor Summer Music Concerts.

Bruce's true musical joy was big band jazz, and he promoted, directed, and played sax in the Reno Big Band for many years. Besides working regular gigs, the RBB raised money for music scholarships, band uniforms for UNR, and for other local charities.

Bruce's eyesight worsened in 2008, and he had to give up the band; he donated many of his instruments to the Music Department at UNR. He played publicly a few more times—he really couldn't stop, the sign of a real musician.

Bruce had a wickedly dry sense of humor and was always ready with a zinger or a pun. He was a hard worker and a dreamer, and he made many of those dreams real, both in real estate and In music, from Nevada to California. He loved his children and grandchildren and was proud that they, too, dream big and work hard.

Bruce's stepson Mike passed away on April 5, 2009; he is survived by his wife, Sandra Cox, his daughters, Felicia Santos and Rebecca Baker, and his stepson, Guy Peame. He is also survived by his sisters, Judith Robertson and Susan Cox, and his grandchildren, William Santos IV, Kera Higdon, and Grace Baker, and his great-grandson, Willam Santos V.

Due to COVID, the memorial will be at a future date.