Bruce Merrill

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, Lloyd Bruce Merrill, loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away at age 92.

Bruce was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Malcolm H. and Thelma H. Merrill. He lived in Princeton, New Jersey and San Francisco, California when he was very young, and grew up in Berkeley, CA, where he attended elementary, high school, and received his B.S. degree in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley. While in his senior year one member of the Public Health class wrote a paper on the role of the public health sanitarian in the military service. Impressed with this paper, Bruce decided to apply for, and received, a direct commission in the U.S. Army Medical Field Service Corp, which he did from 1953-1955. He served in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and enjoyed spending his time off touring around Europe in his Volkswagen Beetle with fine LDS servicemen who became lifelong friends.

In 1955 there was a chance for Bruce to get an early release from the army to attend the College of Physicians and Surgeons School of Dentistry in San Francisco. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1959 and opened a private practice in Castro Valley, CA. He was attending the University Ward in Berkeley where he met Elizabeth Anne (Beth) Partridge and they were married in the Logan LDS Temple on November 20, 1962. They bought their first home in Castro Valley where Bruce practiced dentistry and Beth taught school. At the arrival of their fourth child, they moved to Pleasanton, CA, where they raised their six children. He bought a dental practice in Pleasanton and also worked on staff at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Livermore part time until 1985. Upon his retirement, they moved to Provo, UT.

Bruce was an active and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in various church callings. He went on fifty-miler hikes and scout camps with his sons, and attended 16 years of Young Women Camp with his daughters, leading star-gazing hikes. He did it for so long that he went from being called Star Gazer to Star Geezer! In addition, he took on a small speaking part in the Oakland Temple Pageant so his younger children could participate. In Provo, he served in the Provo Temple as a veil worker and was active in the Utah Valley PAF Users Group, where he used his considerable technology skills to record presentations and distribute them to members of the group.

He loved photography, woodworking, technology, cars, do-it-yourself projects around the house, camping, star gazing, public health work, road trips and excursions, visiting extended family, making string hunts on birthdays, and he would do or attend anything to support his children and grandchildren. He could fix anything but the common cold. He also loved telling “Dad Jokes” and always had one ready on any occasion.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Beth, his children: Craig (Andrea) Merrill of Provo, UT; Devin (Maddi) Merrill of Orem, UT; Karen Merrill of San Francisco, CA; Diana (Brent) Osiek of Bountiful, UT; Janette (Brandon) Pace of Pleasanton, CA; and Julie (Ralph) Hinkson of Draper, UT; 14 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and sister Jean (Robert) Wilson. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother M. Donald (Kay) Merrill, and his in-laws, Francis and Jean Partridge.

Viewings will be held from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 South State Street, Orem, UT, and from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. on Monday, prior to the service at the church. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 1, 2022 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 3511 North 180 East, Provo, UT.  Burial will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.

For those unable to attend in person, you may view the Services HERE

Condolences can be expressed to the family on this page.

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