Bruce Alma Harris

Bruce Harris the man, husband, father, brother, Papa, and friend. He was a larger than life man who touched many lives and hearts.
He arrived into this world on May 18th, 1952, to his father Charles Wayne, to his mother Josephine (Jo) Helen Harris, and his big brother Wayne. He was a kid who was on the go and kept his mother on her toes trying to keep up with him. They were residing in Henderson City, Nevada at the time of his birth. His father was active in the National Guard and worked out on the base and/or site that they did the nuclear testing. Jo stated that they would climb up on the roof of their house and watch the bombs being tested and thought nothing about it being a health hazard at the time.
In 1953 they packed up the family and moved back to Idaho and lived in Pocatello, where his sister Brenda was born, then in 1955 the family relocated to Banning, California, where his little brother Barry was born. In 1959 the family returned to Idaho, and lived in Boise, this was where Bruce spent the rest of his school years. He graduated from Borah High School in the 1970 and attended both Boise State College and Idaho State University.
After completing his classes, he returned back to Boise and was employed with Northern Testing Laboratories as an Exploration Core Driller. While on an assignment in Pocatello he met his soul mate Cheryl Maag. After 9 months of dating their journey as husband and wife began on September 20th, 1975. Cheryl not only gained a new family with Bruce’s immediate family but, was included in his extended BOB Family. The couple settled in Boise and in a very ”busy” year they gave birth to their son Travis Jeremy and 21 months later they welcomed daughter Aimee Lorin to complete their family.
In 1981, the country was suffering from a depression and people were scrambling to find any job they could and hold on to them. It was at this time that Bruce decided to try his luck at mining in Clayton, Idaho. Cyprus Minerals was opening up a big open pit molybdenum mine there and his stepfather Dick James had been hired on as a heavy duty equipment operator and had convinced Bruce to come and try his luck there. This began Bruce’s 38 year career in mining, molybdenum(moly), copper and gold. Both Bruce and Cheryl worked in the various mines he was employed at and became gypsy miners, working in Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
Bruce worked hard and played hard. He loved to hunt, fish, golf, ride his ATV, camp, and attend BSU games with his sone Travis. He looked forward every year to his annual fishing trips to Custer County with his son in-law, Martin Lesbo and his buds Jim Lynch and Jim Wallace. Martin loved to raze Bruce about out fishing him and Bruce loved every minute of it.
In 1998 Bruce discovered a whole new love with the birth of his first grandchild Colton. He was further blessed with Kieler, Madison, Emery, Hailey, and Elee Rae. They became the center of his world.
He was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2013, and the fishing trips up to Custer County were replaced with trips to Owyhee with his old buds, Ed Wight, Randy Sherman, Jim Wallace, Jim Lynch and of course Martin. Martin still had to have that opportunity to out fish Bruce and rub it in.
Bruce’s health began to fail in 2018 and he was placed on long term disability. Bruce and Cheryl returned home to Idaho to be closer to their friends and family. But that still didn’t slow him down from enjoying his family and friends.
He looked forward every year to his week long reunion vacation with his BOB Family, the reunions began in 1971 and are ongoing. Those wild hippies he grew up with, his brothers, grew wild and old together. As the “BOB” family loses another brother, Bruce’s son Travis is proud to continue the tradition. Bruce always considered himself so lucky to have these people in his life and they all would do anything for each other. At the time of his passing they were all there at the hospital with members of his immediate family to wish him well and to support Cheryl. He truly was a blessed man and has left a big hole in our hearts.