David Bruce Hartley, or Bruce as we knew him, was called home to the Lord June 11, 2016, at the age of 88.

He was born Oct. 4, 1927, in Walla Walla to Clifford and Jean-Ethel Hartley.

Bruce attended Green Park Elementary School and Walla Walla High School. Bruce grew up the son of a grocery man at the Red and White Grocery in Walla Walla. At age 16, Bruce became the store manager for one year because of family health issues.

Following graduation and near the end of WWII, Bruce enlisted in the U.S. Army. He went from U.S. Army to U.S. Army Air Corps to U.S. Air Force. Two and-a-half years later he was discharged from service.

Bruce decided to take advantage of the G.I. Bill and enrolled at Whitman College in Walla Walla, where he double-majored in chemistry and mathematics. Bruce elected to put his education to work and was hired at Libby, McNeil and Libby in Walla Walla as a summer worker. Following graduation, he became a full-time employee.

Bruce had been married but was divorced and was living in Chicago when he attended a Parents Without Partners meeting and was introduced to Gloria Trickler, who was in charge of attendance-taking. When Bruce approached her table, something clicked. As they sat in the parking lot after the meeting, waiting to leave, they talked for 5-6 hours. Both were divorced and both had two children. They finally decided it was time to go home, but they ended up on the phone. That evening in May led to a marriage in August that lasted 52 years.

Bruce and Gloria merged two families into one, but the first year of marriage was somewhat rocky. They moved twice, lost three parents and had a child. They moved from Illinois to Wisconsin, back to Illinois and then to New York.

Nestle purchased Libby, McNeil and Libby, and Bruce moved to the new company where he remained for 43 years. He retired as international director of quality control. His career took him to Mount Vernon, the Philippines, Malaysia, South America, Taiwan, France, Switzerland, Germany and England. Gloria was a school teacher and had the skills to handle a class of five children. Bruce retired from Nestle in 1991. The biggest adjustment for Gloria was having Bruce around “24/7.”

Bruce always said Gloria made him the man he was. He did not have a clue how he would have handled his job and his children at the same time. His career was successful because Gloria allowed him the freedom to work and travel the world.

With Bruce’s retirement came the decision of where to live. Gloria was tasked with that decision and the Hartley’s decided to return to Washington, this time to Oak Harbor. They soon became members of the Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church and the Whidbey Playhouse, and Bruce joined the “Old Foggies” group. He was also a very talented woodworker and master craftsman, as well as “Mr. Fix-it.” He was a child of the Great Depression and he was very frugal his entire life. His motto was “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

Two years ago, Bruce came up with the unique idea of a joint project for he and Gloria. The Whidbey Playhouse was presenting a non-traditional play, “Love Letters,” which involved mostly real-life couples sitting side-by-side and reading aloud love letters. These letters were not their own but those of the play’s main characters who carry on a long-distance relationship beginning in the second grade and continued through marriage, divorce and into a still separated middle age. This became a wonderful experience for both Bruce and Gloria. In many ways the elements of the play resembled the Hartley family in real life. Bruce was a man whose life was built on humor. He loved to have fun.

Bruce is survived by his wife Gloria at the family home in Oak Harbor; and by five children and their spouses, David B. Hartley Jr. of Oak Harbor, Donald and Julie Hartley of Punta Gorda, Fla., W. Earl and Leslie Hartley of Peekskill, N.Y., Laird and Linda Hartley of Bourbonnais, Ill., and Roberta Hartley and Kim Winterfeldt of Oak Harbor. He is also survived by one grandson and spouse Logan and Eileen Hartley, and great-grandson Nolan Hartley, all of Bourbonnais, Ill. He was preceded in death by two brothers, J. Robert Hartley and W. Jamieson Hartley.

A celebration of life for Bruce Hartley will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 27, at the Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Vonna Thomas officiating.

A reception will follow in Centennial Hall. Please visit Bruce’s page in the Book of Memories at www.wallinfuneralhome.com to share memories and condolences. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC, Oak Harbor, WA.