Bruce Irvin Sanders

Bruce Irvin Sanders, known affectionately as Bruce to everyone who had the pleasure of crossing his path, embarked on his final adventure on April 5, 2024, while residing in Grand Rapids, MI. Born on a chilly winter's day in Illmo, MO, on December 22, 1942, Bruce lived a life that would make any stand-up comedian proud—filled with laughter, love, and the kind of pranks that made you want to be on his team during family gatherings.

Bruce was a man who measured wealth not in dollars and cents but in the number of smiles he could coax out of those around him. With a jovial spirit that was truly infectious, he shared 54 laughter-filled years with his wife, Nancy T. Sanders, who was both his love and the perfect straight man to his endless jokes. Their partnership in humor and heart produced two wonderful children, Christopher L. (Samantha) Sanders and Elizabeth C. (Micheal) Wenderski, who inherited at least part of their dad's playful spirit.

A family man through and through, Bruce delighted in the roles of 'Grandpa' and 'Great-Grandpa', a title he wore like a badge of honor. His grandchildren, Christopher A. (Venus) Sanders, Shelby Ayers, Christian Ayers, Zeke Wenderski, and Zoey Wenderski, and his eight great-grandchildren became his newest audience members and the recipients of his vast repertoire of dad jokes and funny faces. His sister, Billie (Rodney) Waddle, can attest to the fact that Bruce had been perfecting his act since childhood.

Bruce was a scholar of the chuckle, a man who took his studies in guffaws quite seriously. With a diploma from Catonsville Community College's with an Associate Degree of Nursing, class of 1969, he parlayed his professional knowledge into a career that saw him spread cheer across the country as an RN, before landing a gig at Beverly Enterprises where he ensured quality and inserted laughter as a Quality Assurance Inspector.

If you ever wanted to know how to inject humor into any situation, Bruce was your go-to. His career might have been in nursing, but his calling was clearly in creating fun wherever he stood—be it a hospital ward, a company meeting, or the family dinner table. His colleagues weren't just co-workers; they were comedy sidekicks in the sitcom of life where Bruce was the undisputed star.

Describing Bruce is a simple task: funny, faith-filled, loving. Three words that encapsulate a man who saw life through a lens of humor, who prayed with a smile, and who loved with all the mirth his heart could muster. Whether he was sharing a funny story at church or slipping whoopee cushions onto unsuspecting chairs, Bruce lived his faith and his fun with equal gusto.

The world is a little quieter today without Bruce's laughter echoing off its walls, but his comedic spirit will continue to live on in every joke told at a family reunion, every playful wink given across a crowded room, and every story shared between friends reminiscing about the man who was a one-man joy factory.

As the curtain falls on Bruce's remarkable life, those of us who had the pleasure of being part of his audience will continue to find the laughter he left us with, the kind of laughter that doesn't just echo through a room but through generations. So here's to Bruce Irvin Sanders—husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, nurse, comedian, author and the best darn Quality Assurance Inspector who ever turned a routine check-up into a tickle fight.

Farewell, Bruce—the world is a funnier place because you were here, and heaven is now rolling in the aisles.

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