Bruce Samuel Reeder July 26, 1948 - September 19, 2026

Bruce Samuel Reeder of Parma, Idaho passed away peacefully on September 19, 2026, at the age of 78. He was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, and friend to all.
Bruce was born to loving parents Edwin Samuel Reeder and LuWana (Hurst) Reeder in Ontario, Oregon. Bruce was the oldest of six children, growing up in New Plymouth, Idaho where he graduated from New Plymouth High School in 1966. He later attended Idaho State University, where he graduated from the College of Pharmacy in 1971. Bruce began his Pharmacy career with local drugstore chain Super Thrift Drug in Parma and a couple of years later married Marla Jo Leighton. Bruce and Marla Jo were sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan, Utah temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They then settled in Parma, where they were blessed with and raised four children.
Bruce embodied a spirit of service and preparedness. His career as a pharmacist, which eventually spanned multiple drugstore chains before his retirement, displayed his commitment to his community. Bruce demonstrated his love for others through personal service but also formally through various organizations. Bruce was a volunteer member of the Parma ambulance crew and a member of the local Lions Club. He was also a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving his local congregation in various capacities throughout his life and frequently participating in the choir. One of his favorite roles was as a long-time youth leader with Boy Scouts of America; a friend once complimented him by saying, “You are the best example of the Scout motto (‘Be Prepared’) I have ever seen.” Bruce remembered this for the rest of his life.
Bruce was creative, talented, and adventurous. His creativity shone through in his love for woodworking and welding. He welded a custom wood-burning stove used for decades in the family home, crafted six wooden kayaks and a trailer to carry them, helped build countless pinewood derby cars, and more. He was known for building many creative solutions for life’s needs. Bruce was also musically talented and learned to play the accordion and clarinet. His adventurous spirit led him to obtain his private pilot license which he used recreationally for years. His hobbies were diverse, from camping and fishing to bicycling and dutch oven cooking. In everything he did, Bruce approached life with dedication, optimism, and enthusiasm. Bruce truly enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of others in the Parma and surrounding communities. Although he moved away in his later years – initially to Homedale, Idaho to be near Marla Jo who was in nursing home care, then eventually to Spanish Fork and Springville, Utah to be closer to family assistance while his own health declined – he always considered Parma as his home.
Bruce was preceded in death by his wife, Marla Jo Reeder, his parents, Edwin and LuWana Reeder, and three of his brothers (Larry Reeder, Kal Reeder, and Dean Reeder). He is survived by his children, son Dennis Reeder, daughter Patti Jo (Eric) Blakemore, son Warren (Kisha) Reeder, and son Todd (Haley) Reeder; twelve grandchildren; his brother, Allen Reeder; and his sister, WandaKay Hollaway. We celebrate his life and the legacy he leaves behind, knowing that his spirit of service, love, and creativity will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew him.
Funeral services for Bruce will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 307 East Andrews Avenue in Parma, Idaho. A viewing will be held from 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. followed by funeral services at 3:00 p.m. Interment will occur immediately following at Lower Boise Cemetery east of Parma.
Funeral preparation and arrangements are being conducted by Walker Funeral Home in Spanish Fork, Utah.