Loretta Bienn (Young) Bruce, age 86, of Greenbrier, Tennessee, went into the presence of her Savior on November 3, 2023.
Mrs. Bruce was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on February 15, 1937, to Elmer and Zora Young.
After graduating from Cheyenne High School, she attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, where she met her husband, John Frank Bruce of Eatonton, Georgia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1959 and married that same year. Frank and Loretta went on to have two children, Brent Milan and Brian Scott Bruce.
In 1964, the couple moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when a church in the Madison area called Frank to be their pastor. A year later, he with a group of other men, started Calvary Bible Church.
Mrs. Bruce taught at Bellshire Elementary School from 1967-69. It was during this time that she and her husband felt called to start a Christian school in the area, so in 1969, Pioneer Christian Academy was founded.
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce dedicated their lives to this ministry for thirty-three years.
The Bruces retired in 2002 and moved to Eatonton, Georgia where they lived for sixteen years. In 2018 they returned to Tennessee to be near their sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Loretta is preceded in death by her husband, John Frank Bruce, and by her parents, Elmer and Zora Young. She is survived by her sister, Bertha Hawk (Thomas) of Pennsylvania, her sons Brent (Patricia) and Brian (Pamela), nine grandchildren —Shaun Durden, Ashton Lee (Michael), Zachary Bruce (Morgan), Benjamin Bruce (Nicole), Kaitlyn Ramirez (Chris), Ethan Bruce (Ashley), Lauren Durden, Bailey Godfrey (Kyle), and Autumn Bruce, and 16 great-grandchildren.
Her life verse was Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not until thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
The funeral service was held at 10:00 am Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Harvest Baptist Church, Eatonton, GA Rev. Chad Crawford presiding. Graveside service at Pinegrove Cemetery immediately followed.