Bruce Arnold Cleary, Sr., 76, passed away peacefully on Feb. 23, 2008 at Whidbey Island Manor in Oak Harbor. He was born in Porchester, N.Y. on Nov. 22, 1931, to William and Beatrice (Bell) Cleary. As a youth Bruce helped earn money for his family by working as a shoe shiner and working at Playland amusement park near his home. On Oct. 16, 1950, Bruce joined the U.S Navy and served his county as a 3rd class Radar Man. While in the Navy he served in the Korean War and was stationed on a destroyer for a year-and-a-half. Bruce served in the Navy with his three older brothers; the four brothers spent a majority of their Navy career in Kodiak, Alaska.

Following his career in the Navy, Bruce held a variety of jobs including working as a bellhop for the Roosevelt Hotel in Seattle, operating a lunch wagon in Florida, painting houses, and then working at parades and carnivals selling novelty toys and balloons. He enjoyed working at several Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. He spent a lot of time traveling all over the country and enjoyed his many experiences.

Bruce moved to Whidbey Island in 1987 to his daughter’s home in Greenbank. After moving to Whidbey Island he started his own business building and selling wooden planter boxes and Christmas wreaths. In 1992 Bruce began repairing and selling used lawnmowers on Highway 20 in Greenbank. Bruce enjoyed his lawnmower business and the many people that would stop by and visit him while he worked. He was often known as “the lawnmower man.” Bruce had a love for Bingo, fishing, collecting coins, and conversing with people, he always had a joke to share or a trick to show.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents William and Beatrice. His brothers Donald, Gordon, and Kenneth; his sisters Audrey and Marilyn; and his son-in-law John Plantz.

Bruce is survived by seven children, Bruce Cleary, Jr., and wife Shelly Spears of Freeland, Cynthia Mervyn and husband Daniel of Camano Island, Victoria Plantz of north Greenbank, Paul Cleary of north Greenbank, Belinda Eggland and husband James of Bayview, Elizabeth Cleary, Virgil Thomas and companion Amparo Wilson of Greenbank; 13 grandchildren, Bruce Cleary III and Wife Barbara of Marysville, Bianca Koshak and husband Robert of El Mirage, Ariz., Nina Cleary of Marysville, Venessa Matros and husband Michael of Greenbank, Crystal Mervyn of Bellingham, Kimberly Kuschnereit of Bayview, Denielle Kehoe and Husband Edward of Beaverton, Ore., Jessica Fisher and husband Brandon of Oak Harbor, Jonathon Plantz of Freeland, Christopher Eggland of Freeland, Janay Plantz of Greenbank, Damien Thomas of Greenbank, Megan Wilson of Greenbank, and Tia Mervyn of Camano Island. Also, nine great-grandchildren; Destiny, Casey, Brianna, Connor, Alexander, Baylie, Carlie, Benjamin and Chloe; sister-in-law Elizabeth (Dolly) Rumsey; Nephews Alan Cleary of Oak Harbor, David and wife Gwen Cleary of Oak Harbor, Richard Cleary of Everett and a niece Katherine VandeWerhorst and husband Jerry of Oak Harbor; the mother of his children Irene Thomas; along with numerous friends in the community.

Bruce’s family was very important to him and he enjoyed spending time around all of them; he felt he had lived a full and satisfying life.

Funeral services and a celebration of Bruce’s life were held on March 1. Memories of Bruce may be shared in the guest book at www.jernsfuneralchapel.net/index.cfm. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established at the Coupeville branch of Wells Fargo Bank in the name of “Bruce Cleary Memorial fund” and donations are being accepted at Coupes Greenbank Store in Greenbank.