Bruce Melrose

Dr. Bruce Melrose was a true Renaissance man - multi-talented, focused and willing to take risks. He learned about hard work as a young boy and grew to channel his energy in creative and productive ways. His professional demeanor earned him confidence and respect by others, yet he was also known for being a warm and generous man with a great sense or humor. Born in Muskegon, Michigan on January 8, 1950, Bruce was the oldest of three children born to Donald and Betti (Wilkinson) Melrose. His parents both worked to provide for their family his father owned Melrose Senf Insurance Agency and his mother was an Executive Secretary at SPX Corporation. As a child, Bruce attended the area schools and, like many young boys of the time, spent much of his leisure time outdoors, pursuing just about any activity that involved nature swimming, camping, fishing. Growing up, he and his family spent a lot of time on Higgins Lake, where he caught his first fish. This love of the outdoors would stay with Bruce throughout his life, providing him with some of his favorite pursuits. Bruce was not one to shy away from hard work, though he quickly learned to be selective with what hard work he did. He and his father once built a playhouse together, complete with tile floors and it was this kind of hard work that he quickly learned he didnt want to do for a living being a doctor looked better by the moment. After graduating from Mona Shores High School in 1968, Bruce began pursing his medical degree at Michigan State University. He earned his undergraduate, magna cum laude in 1972, and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Medicine in 1976. Bruce went on to specialize in Internal Medicine and spent a year at the University of North Dakota. He completed his studies at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Radiology, where he became a Diplomat of Nuclear and Diagnostic Radiology. That same year, Bruce also began serving on the Board of the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, Division of Nuclear Science. From 1981 until 2002 he worked here at Mercy Hospital. Dr. Bruce was a well-respected and accomplished Radiologist, who took great pride in his work. He often said that each case was like a new quest for him, and Bruce absolutely loved adventures! His years of dedication allowed him to touch the lives of many. Outside his professional life as a clinician, Bruce had a lifelong passion for adventure. He was a man with a great mind and an appetite for life. He loved to play chess with his father until it wasnt a challenge for him anymore. Bruces interests lied heavily in boating, traveling, safaris, diving, photography and oceanography. In pursuit of his passions, Bruce became a world traveler, visiting places like the Great Wall of China, and taking death-defying feats, like scuba diving in a cage with sharks and going on safaris in far regions of Africa. His greatest joy was as a Safari hunter and he had a magnificent trophy room in his home, where he displayed his extensive collection of wild and exotic animals he killed. Many of his safari kills were also mounted and hung throughout his home, some of which included a brown Russian bear, a Tahr (Asian ungulate), a spotted Hyena, tusks from a hippopotamus and a lion, just to name a few. In association with his safari hunts, Bruce was featured in several hunting books and magazines, including Big Game Adventures Sands of Silence by Peter Hathaway Capstick; A Country Boy in Africa by George Hoffman; Hunting the World by Ken Wilson (Texas); and Australian Hunter Magazine - Feature Articles by Tony Tammett. Bruce also found himself featured in the famous American hunter, Peter Hathaway Capsticks film Last Safari, which was made in Zimbabwe, South Africa. With a love of water, it was only natural that Bruce would master boating and was known to be able to dock a boat even in the most difficult conditions like nobodys business. Under the recommendation of Asa Wright, the Great Lakes Program Manager, who had witnessed Bruce on numerous occasions dock his boat the Nushagak perfectly under some times harsh conditions, he was the honorable recipient of the Master, 100 Ton License by the Lieutenant Commander of the United States Coast Guard, which Bruce held from 1986 to present. In addition to this achievement, Bruce was also a Dive Master for the West Michigan Dive Center, a life and active member of the NRA and the American Medical Association, and a donor to the Olympics. Unbeknownst to many, Bruce lived with a disability much of his life, though he never used it as a crutch or an excuse when it came to his work; his many career achievements were evidence of that. Unfortunately, due to medical problems, he was forced to retire from his practice in October 2002. It was these same physical ailments that also limited Bruce in what he was able to enjoy in retirement. Instead of scavenging the jungles of Africa or diving to the depths of the vast ocean, he had to satisfy his adventurous spirit reading a book or watching at football on TV. His home in Oregon was one of his favorite places on earth, which had magnificent grounds, complete with gardens and the view of nature and sunsets that took your breath away. Bruce was such an avid gardener that a friend of his had a flower in the orchid family named in his honor the Myrmecophila Christine var. Christine Dr. Bruce. Outside of his garden, Bruce enjoyed traveling with his close friends, John and Ann, who lived in San Diego and was like his second family. Although Bruce was a single man all his life, he found true companionship in his four-footed friend, Theodore Roosevelt Teddy. Although it is certain that Bruce accomplished many great things throughout his life, he remained a humble, generous man. His presence in the world will be greatly missed, yet the memories he created with his family and friends will always be remembered. Dr. Bruce L. Melrose, age 58, died on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at his home. He is survived by his parents, Donald (Betti) Melrose, and two sisters, Cathy Melrose and Patricia Ann Melrose. Services & memorial contributions will be announced at a later time. Clock Life Story Funeral Home Muskegon.