Patricia Gail Bruce passed away on January 5, 2024, in Pasadena, CA. Pat, as she preferred to be called, was born on December 16, 1941, in Los Angeles to Robert and Marjorie Mater.
Pat graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1959. She attended Cal State Los Angeles to study Music Education. Pat attended Asbury Methodist Church in Los Angeles with her family. There she met her future husband, Jack Bruce. Pat and Jack were married on July 21, 1962. They welcomed two children, Kathleen in 1966 and Jeffrey in 1970. Pat and Jack settled in South Pasadena to raise their children. Pat worked at South Pasadena High School from 1976 through 2000 in different clerical capacities and taught a business skills ROP class.
Pat’s passion was music. She had a beautiful voice and sang in various choirs and church performances. When she and Jack moved to South Pasadena, they attended Calvary Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir for over 20 years. In 1987, Pat went back to her Methodist upbringing and attended First United Methodist Church in Pasadena until her passing, singing in the choir until she could no longer climb up to the choir loft. Pat’s singing and choir participation took her on many trips including various stops in Europe.
Pat’s volunteer work was also very important to her. She was a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter AX, South Pasadena for over 44 years. Pat believed strongly in P.E.O.’s mission of helping women with their education. She served as president for two terms, recording secretary and chaired the Membership committee for many years. Pat was also an active member of the Altadena Guild which provides fundraising for Huntington Hospital and the Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI). She volunteered every week in the hospital’s gift shop and helped with the Guild’s yearly Home Tour fundraiser.
For the last 18 years, Pat’s pride and joy were her two grandsons, Jeremy and John. She loved being “Grandma” and spoiling the boys any chance she could. She enjoyed family trips to Disney World, cruise to Alaska and road trips to Northern California and Las Vegas.
Pat is preceded in death by her parents. Pat is survived by her daughter, Kathy Steiert (Steven) of Henderson, NV; her son, Jeff Bruce (Holly) of South Pasadena, CA; grandsons, Jeremy and John Bruce; sister Linda Frank (Bill), 2 nieces and 7 great-nephews.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 500 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena CA 91101 on January 27th, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow. In leu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church Friends of Music or the American Cancer Society, https://donate.cancer.org.
