Victor V. Bruce, Jr.

Funeral services for Victor V. Bruce, Jr., 80, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Paul White and John Havard officiating. Interment will follow in the Largent Cemetery.

Victor died peacefully in his sleep and in his home on October 10, 2022. Vic was born on January 27, 1942 in Houston, Texas; the oldest child of his parents, Victor V. Bruce and Susie (Fuller) Bruce. The family moved to Lufkin, TX in 1946. Vic attended Kurth Elementary School, Lufkin Jr. High School, and graduated from Lufkin High School in 1960 where he was a proud member of the Panther football team.

Vic was married to his childhood sweetheart, Benn Sharon Smith on August 31, 1963. The two graduated from Stephen F. Austin  State University in May of 1964 and moved to Giddings, Texas where Vic taught at Giddings High School for two years and Sharon for one.

In July of 1966 Vic began his career as a Revenue Officer with the Internal Revenue Service beginning in Dallas, Texas, moving to the Tyler office in 1967, and finally to Lufkin in August of 1968. He remained working in the Lufkin office for the next 29 years.

Vic was a skilled, amateur carpenter and a chronicler of his own life and memories–lessons written down to share with his family and friends.  He wrote the following sage advice for his grandchildren, “Be happy, keep your word, pay your debts, pay yourself first, give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay, respect all forms of life, be generous, take time to be alone.” Vic lived his life by those eight principles. His example remains a guiding light to all his friends and family. He was living proof that kindness, compassion and toughness can coexist in a single person.

Vic is survived by his wife of 59 years, along with daughter and son-in-law, Shelley and Scott Tatum of Lukin; son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Terri Bruce of Friendswood; grandson, Benjamin Bruce of Friendswood; granddaughters and grandson-in-law, Hannah and Mason Carmichael of Jarrell, Texas, Victoria Tatum of Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth Tatum of Austin, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Carole and John Wolf of Lubbock, Texas; brother-in-law, Barry Smith of Houston; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Melvin Smith; and sister-in-law, Lisbeth “Libby” Smith.

Pallbearers will be Scott Tatum, Benjamin Bruce, Mason Carmichael, Allan Wolf, Ryan Berry, and Matt Smith.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Berry, Mike Bintliff, Dick Bodeker, David Smith, James Slack, Wendell Thomason, Edward Bruce, and Cooper Castleberry.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice in the Pines, 1504 W. Frank Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 Saint Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 ( www.stjude.org ), or the Disabled American Veterans, Lufkin Chapter #84, 1015 Lee Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75901.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.