Bruce Emerson DeBrine passed away peacefully on 25 February 2024, 2 months before his 96th birthday at his daughter, Valorie’s home in
Elk Ridge, Utah. He was born in Rochester, New York on 18 April 1928 to Ralph Theodore DeBrine and Patience Hope Rothfuss DeBrine. He was the second of three children. Dad graduated from East High in Rochester in 1946. He joined the US Marines in San Diego, California in October of 1946. Among other places, he served for 18 months on a ship stationed off the shore of China. He was discharged in October of 1949. Dad attended New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, New Mexico from the fall of 1950 to June of 1954. It was there he met Georgia Fuentes, one of the first six women admitted to the school. They were married in Socorro in 1953 and over the next seven years they had 5 kids – Valorie, Timothy, Karen, Kenton and Karl. Nine years later they were blessed with one more – Travis. Dad and Mom just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
Dad graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1954. He got a job with Pure Oil Company and they moved with a two week old baby (Valorie) to Ft Worth, Texas. They lived there for 3 years. Tim and Karen were born there. They then moved to Hobbs, New Mexico where Kenton and Karl were born. In 1960, just after Karl was born, they moved back to Socorro. Dad went back to school at the Tech and received his Master’s degree in 1965. He kept on schooling and received his PhD in Groundwater Hydrology in 1971. Travis was born during this time in 1969.
After Dad’s graduation the family moved to Broomfield, Colorado in 1971. Dad accepted a job in Denver working for the state as an engineer in the Division of Water Resources where he worked for 28 years, retiring in 1999. The family has lived in their home in Broomfield for 52 years. Dad and Mom have a second home in Luna, New Mexico where for the last 11 years they have spent many months enjoying their golden years.
In 1980 Dad was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his son Karl, just before Karl left on his mission. He and mom were sealed in the Manti Temple in 1981. In the church he served in several callings including counselor in the bishopric and ordinance worker in the Denver Colorado Temple.
Dad enjoyed telling us what kind of rocks we found, reading and collecting maps, traveling, photobombing, growing a garden, pruning trees, sitting on the porch, doing crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, hot dogs with mustard (NO KETCHUP), macaroni salad, ice cream, Oreo cookies, Dr. Pepper, and pulling those pesky white flower weeds!
Dad was preceded in death by his parents, his older sister, Elaine and younger brother, Earl and his son, Kenton. He is survived by his wife Georgia, his children and their spouses: Valorie (Dennis) Stoutsenberger, Timothy (Cindy) DeBrine, Karen (Russell) Robertson, his daughter-in-law Pamela, Karl (Kanani) DeBrine and Travis (Jeni) DeBrine, 31 grandchildren (plus 24 spouses), 69 great-grandchildren (plus 5 spouses) with 3 more on the way, and 5 great-great-grandchildren with 1 more on the way. Also surviving are 5 nieces and nephews on the DeBrine side and 28 on the Fuentes side, his sisters-in-law Lenore Fuentes and Minnie Gregg, and his brother-in-law and wife, Floyd and Pat Fuentes.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 2 at 11 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located at 1120 N 850 W in Provo, UT. Visitation will be from 10 to 10:45 am at the church. We will also be holding a service for Dad on Saturday, March 9 in Luna, New Mexico at 11 am, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel. Interment will be in the Luna Cemetery.
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