Bruce Adams

1932 - 2022

Bruce Eugene Adams

1932-2022

Bruce passed away peacefully on February 9th in Portland, Oregon, surrounded by family. Born in El Paso, Illinois, Bruce grew up on a (now historic) small family farm. Touring most of the United States with his parents after World War II ignited his interest in travel and desire to live outside of the Midwest. After graduating from the University of Illinois he served two years in the U.S. Army based in Ft. Lewis, Washington, where he supplied the Distant Early Warning line, doing his part to keep the Cold War cold. He moved to Southern California and worked for Kaiser Steel, enjoying the idyllic lifestyle of Huntington Beach with friends from college. He met his soon to be wife Lynda at a friends' wedding. After marriage they lived comfortably in La Cañada and had two sons, Jeff and Tom. Relocated to Houston, Texas, they enjoyed several years in the Lone Star state before being transferred to Sandy, Utah, where he ended his career with Oregon Steel. He moved to Portland, Oregon in 2021 to be closer to family.

'Bruce the Moose' loved a good time, travel, sports, the great outdoors, and the wonderful friends he made through college, his service, employment, and the cities he called home. His love of fishing took him to great locations around the world, from Grand Teton National Park to Alaska to Belise. Golf was a passion for many years, and he managed a hole-in-one. It remains possible he once told an inappropriate joke. Preceded in death by his brothers Bob and Rex and son Tom, he's survived by his wife Lynda, son Jeff, daughter-in-law Suzanne, and granddaughters Katherine and Caroline. A celebration of Bruce's life will be held later this spring in El Paso, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation on his behalf to the Utah chapter of The Nature Conservancy.