Bruce DeNeen Coker

Bruce DeNeen Coker, 76, of Sutherland, died June 10, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Bruce was born on April 4, 1935, to William Stewart 'Stew' and Delpha Delilah Bruce Coker at home northwest of Sutherland. He attended country school and Sutherland schools. At the age of 13, Bruce joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association (P.R.C.A.) and attended as many rodeos as possible. He was a bull rider and gained National ranking.
On July 17, 1956, Bruce married Judy Rae Wolcott at the First Christian Church in Red Bluff, Calif. They traveled the rodeo circuit from coast to coast, settling in Sutherland during the winters where Bruce helped his folks with the sheep. He later went to work in California as a heavy equipment operator and worked on the Oroville Dam Project. He dredged for gold and obtained his pilot's license and joined a flying club.
Bruce and Judy continued to be involved with rodeos as they produced rodeos in southern California. In 1967, the family moved to Santa Susanna, Calif., where Bruce worked as an extra, stuntman and double in western productions in the television and movie industry and belonged to the Screen Actors Guild.
In 1969, they moved to Moses Lake, Wash., where Bruce worked with his brother in a feedlot operation. He later operated heavy equipment, owned and operated a gas station and recycling center and raised Thoroughbreds. They moved back to Sutherland in 1980, after Mt. St. Helens erupted. Bruce continued raising Thoroughbreds and operating heavy equipment in the Sutherland area until he retired.
Bruce was a member of the Sutherland Presbyterian Church, the Nebraska Thoroughbred Breeders Association and a Gold Card Member of the P.R.C.A. No. 717.
He enjoyed giving tomatoes to everyone and feeding stray cats or any other animal. He also enjoyed watching his kids play sports and loved his grandkids.
Survivors include his wife, Judy, of Sutherland; a son, Martin "Marty" (Jennifer) Coker, of Richland, Wash.; his daughter, Stephanie (Mark) Miller, of Granby, Colo.; four grandchildren, Cloe Coker, Olivia Miller, Samuel Miller and Jess Miller; two sisters, Corinne Jochum, of Kansas City, Mo., and Diana (Paul) Thrasher, of El Paso, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Bunny Coker, of Moses Lake, Wash., and Kay Coker, of Waco, Texas; and other family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Stew and Delpha Coker; a son, Samuel Stewart Coker; an infant daughter; two brothers, Zane and William Stewart "Bill" Coker; and a brother-in-law, John "Ed" Jochum.
Service will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 17, at the Sutherland Presbyterian Church with Pastor Karen Lynn Woo officiating. Burial will follow at the Riverview Cemetery south of Sutherland. Visitation is from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore and before service time at the church.
Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com and the family has established a memorial. Odean Colonial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.