Reverend Gary Doyle Bruce
Reverend Gary Doyle Bruce, age 62 of Dalton, Georgia, departed this life Thursday September 13, 2018 at a local hospital surrounded by his loving family.
Gary was born Feb. 17, 1956 in Denton, Texas. Gary was a 1974 graduate of Van Alstyne High in Van Alstyne, Texas, and received an associates degree in Social Work from Northwestern Technical College.
Gary’s life was dedicated to serving the Lord at an early age. He started preaching at age 12 and started pastoring his first church in 1977. Rev. Bruce served as pastor in Autanum, Wa., Wilco, W.V., Ephrata, Pa., Bucyrus, Oh., Bonham, Tx.,(associate pastor) Crossroads, Ms., Meridan, Ms., Decatur, Il., Nashville, and Lafayette, where he served as pastor for 15 years. He also held two ministry positions for the Church of God, Christian Education Coordinator for COG Pathway Press in Cleveland as State Evangelist for TN along with countless revivals, counseling, outreach ministries, and kids crusades.
He was preceded in death by his father, Reverend Jimmy Doyle Bruce; his mother, Bobbie Jean Hopper White, his grandparents, Reverend W. L. Bill and Maye Hopper and Cecil Bruce.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Reverend Brock and Heather Bruce of Mobile, Al.L; daughter and son-in-law, Brooke and Patrick Lee of Dalton; grandchildren, Miah Lee, Bella Lee, Emmalyn Lee, Willa Rose Lee, Elleson Bruce and Carter Bruce; step-father, Doyle White; grandmother, Thelma Bruce; sister and brother in law, Joyce and Lou Torres; brother and sister in law, Robby and Danielle White all of Van Alstyne, Tx., and David Bruce of Aubrey, Tx.; aunts, Judy Moody of Denton, Tx., and Charlene Norris of Decatur, Tx.; nieces and nephews, Chris Bruce, Daniel Bruce, Macy White, Taylor White and Ashley Webb.
Services to celebrate the life of Reverend Gary Doyle Bruce will be held Tuesday morning, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. at the Cedar Valley Cathedral of Praise, 2744 Cleveland Hwy., Dalton, GA, 30721, with Reverend Carroll Allen, Reverend Brock Bruce, Reverend Jim Talley and Reverend Russell Brinson officiating. He will be laid to rest at United Memorial Gardens with Chris Bruce, Jason Lee, Patrick Lee, David Broome, and Cody Lee serving as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends at Ponders Melrose Chapel, 138 Melrose Drive, Dalton, GA, 30721, from 6-9 p.m. Monday and after 9 a.m. Tuesday morning until the service hour.
Condolences may be sent to Rev. Bruce’s family by visiting www.pondersfuneralhome.com