Bruce Lee Suttle

Bruce Lee Suttle

1934-2023

How can you sum up a life well-lived over 89 years? Truth is, you just can't. What we can say is, Bruce Lee Suttle was a loving, funny, smart and gentle father, grandfather, great grandfather, ex-husband, uncle and friend to many. He passed away peacefully in Covington, WA, on Nov. 9, 2023, with his daughters and son-in-law at his side.

He was born to Hagan and Flossie Suttle on Aug. 10, 1934, in Chillicothe, Ohio. He left school when he was 14 years old to help support his mother and went to vocational school at age 15 to learn how to repair TVs. Bruce joined the U.S. Army in 1953, and served in the Korean War as a Morse code operator.

Bruce was always "Mr. Fix It," beginning at the age of 10, after his mother accidentally caught her hairnet in her typewriter and ordered him to get it out. "I said I couldn't," Bruce wrote in his diary. "She got mad at me (something she seldom did) and said, 'Of course you can!' Well, with such faith, how could I refuse? I asked her for one of her (crochet) needles and went to work. It only took about 20 minutes, she thanked me and said, 'I knew you could if you'd just try!'"

Bruce quickly became the go-to handyman-he hooked up a brother's gas range when he was just 12 and followed up in later years by wiring an out building, re-piping a detached apartment, building and installing windows, building porch rails and totally building two bathrooms-walls and all-for a friend. He built decks and fences, cement sidewalks and rock walls. He repaired cars, TVs, washing machines, toaster ovens and radios, assembled an organ from pieces and could build a computer from just parts.

"Once a friend brought me an old Underwood typewriter in pieces. He had taken it apart but didn't know how to put it back together," Bruce wrote. "I took the parts to a car wash, spread them out on a tarp and cleaned them with a steam hose. Then came the challenge. It only took me a few hours to get it back together . . . it worked like new!"

He loved to take pictures and shoot home movies and convinced his mother to send him an 8-mm movie camera when he was stationed in Japan. He had joined the Army just so he could learn Morse code and become a HAM radio operator. His operator's number was W8AJV.

After serving in the military, Bruce joined Western Union and was transferred to Oahu, Hawaii, where he met his love Luella "Lu" Lum on a blind date. They had two daughters and made their home in Hawaii-at first in Kailua and eventually Mililani Town. Although Bruce and Lu divorced after 16 years of marriage, they remained friends and lived together off and on throughout their lives. Bruce even agreed to move in with Lu after she suffered a stroke to help take care of her.

Bruce left Western Union to join Computer Communications Inc. in 1977 to help maintain mainframe computers for large companies, including airliners such as American, Braniff and TWA. He concluded his professional career as CCI's midwestern regional manager in 1991.

Bruce's handyman persona carried over to his retirement; you would often find him helping neighbors or property managers with their computer issues, or volunteering to print the Greenbrier retirement community's newsletter and calendars. He'd also collect trash for less-mobile neighbors, and shared his love of music by launching and leading karaoke and music appreciation night.

Bruce was a kind soul who would help out those in need and several times took in extended family and friends who needed a soft place to land. Bruce was a funny and very involved father and grandfather who loved to read stories and poems to his children and grandchildren-whom he practically helped raise, with many after-school and weekend babysitting gigs. (If you're lucky enough, you have seen how seriously he took this job, with his star performance in his grandchildren's "Hat Boy" video production!)

He enjoyed attending his children's and grandchildren's events and performances, and at times got involved himself in productions-both on stage and behind the scenes, including running the sound system for the Hawaiian Search for Talent shows.

Above all else, Bruce loved and adored his family beyond words. He is survived by his daughters Morgan Suttle, Gestin (Loren) Skaggs, grandchildren Cameron (Christine) Skaggs and Laine Skaggs, his great grandson and many loving nieces and nephews. He will remain forever in our hearts.

Services for Bruce will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or your local food bank.