Bruce LaVern McGuire

Bruce LaVern McGuire, 91, passed away peacefully in Walla Walla, Wash. on Jan. 12, 2022. He was an icon, a hero, a North Star, and a mentor. To his grandchildren he was Paul Bunyan, Big Fish, leader of wilderness expeditions, and a wise and profound teacher.

He greeted family and friends with a huge smile, a hearty laugh and a strong hug. To everyone who knew him, he was an honest man with extraordinary integrity and character. He was a big man with an even bigger heart.

Bruce was born in Weiser, Idaho, on June 2, 1930 to the late William and Henrietta McGuire. He grew up in La Grande, Ore. where he lived in thirteen different homes.

He later moved to Weston, Ore. and graduated from Weston High School. In 1950, he married Hattie Arlene Erickson, a girl he fell in love with in junior high. In Sept. 2021, they celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary. Together they raised a family of four children: Dennis (Janet), Pam (John), Tami (Robert), and Teresa (Joel).

The family grew to include eleven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. More than anything, Bruce deeply loved Arlene and his family.

Bruce and Arlene first lived in Ore. (North Powder, Hermiston, and Athena) before moving to Davenport, Wash. where they built a cabin on the Spokane River. It was a place of great joy and community for family and friends, with fishing, hiking, swimming, water skiing, bonfires and a million stories. Bruce loved exploring, playing “river ball” (sand volleyball), and watching beautiful sunsets.

Bruce worked for more than thirty years at Davenport Chemicals before he and Arlene started their own farm chemicals business, GroMor, in 1985.

He was widely regarded as an expert on weed identification, fertilizer, chemicals, and treatments. Through hard work, they successfully grew the business and sold it to The McGregor Company in 1993.

Bruce was a pillar of the Davenport community. He strongly supported his kid’s participation in sports and activities, and he hosted Friday night pizza nights for practically the entire Davenport High School. He coached little league baseball, served on school and hospital boards, and drove an ambulance as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician.

When they retired, Bruce and Arlene traveled across the country in their RV and took several international trips before settling in Yuma, Arizona. Bruce loved walking, hiking, and exploring the desert.

He was passionate about desert plants, wildlife, canyons, and buttes. In particular, he enjoyed taking the Jeep on crazy desert adventures, fishing in canals, and volunteering his time and talents to help those in need through Helping Hands of Yuma.

Bruce enjoyed taking the family on car rides, insisting that everyone join in singing old, beloved songs and identify weeds, trees, and wildflowers along the way (including the scientific genus and species). He was extremely curious, loved to read, and was a lifelong learner.

He loved singing, playing the ukulele, and drumming with his hands and fingers. He collected coins and arrowheads. He loved to play cards and games and was not always the best loser.

Bruce cherished church, classic hymns, and singing in the choir. He was fascinated by birds, stars, geology, nature, genealogy, and how things worked and he remembered every obscure fact and detail and loved sharing his knowledge with others. He loved fishing, hunting, and making things in his woodshop. He enjoyed old photos and photo albums.

He loved jokes and pranks. Bruce was a wonderful storyteller, regaling the room with hilarious tales of mishaps, escapades, and his mischievous childhood. Bruce’s passing creates a huge hole in our hearts but he leaves behind loads of smiles, lots of laughter, wonderful memories, and countless lessons on life and love. He will be missed but never forgotten.

A Celebration of Bruce’s Life will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at the Pioneer Park Garden Center, 940 E. Alder Street, Walla Walla, Wash. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Meals on Wheels at the Walla Walla Senior Citizens Center at 720 Sprague Street, Walla Walla, Washington, 99362.

Cards and memories can be sent to Arlene McGuire at 1500 Catherine Street #312, Walla Walla, WA, 99362.