Faithful Follower of Jesus Christ, Devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Son, Friend, and Neighbor to many.
Bruce Edwin Love was born in St. Petersburg, Florida to Bayless & Hazel Love. He enlisted in the Army at the age of 17, where he served four years before discharging to join the Air Force.
Bruce Love and Julia Emery met in the Air Force and were married 28 days later on September 30, 1960. Bruce then transferred back to the Army after “getting what he wanted from the Air Force.”
While on Active Duty, Bruce served the Lord on his own time, getting involved in the church wherever they lived. He also became an ordained minister serving in several essential capacities.
Bruce retired from the Army in 1977 and became a home-town missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF). He ran the CEF bookstore in Hawai’i for three years before he moved back to St. Petersburg, FL with his family. In 1980, he became the Lower Pinellas County Director for CEF, serving 20 years before retiring. Despite officially retiring from CEF, he never retired from serving children and began working at Blanton Elementary School finding mentors for students in need. Even after this final retirement, his passion was always for the lives of children.
Bruce blessed many through his service to the Lord, but none more than his own family. His love for the Lord shined through everything he did. He showed, by example, how to be a Godly husband, father, and friend. His legacy continues to live on today through his family.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Julia; his children Terrilee Brown (m. George), Tammilyn Freuler (m. James), Thomas Love (m. Heather), and Timothy Love (m. Lori); grandchildren Daisy, April, Sela, Grace, Judah, Russell, Tamara, Caleb, Abby, and Emma; and great-grandchildren Elliot, Tristan, Tyson, Kyah, Matiah, Therion, Myah, and Kali. He is preceded in death by his service dog Candy and survived by his service dog Yukon.
