Bruce Ely

J. Bruce Ely passed away November 26, 2022 at the Windsor Care Center in Windsor, Australia, at age 83. 

He was born June 7, 1939, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Harry Bob Ely and Doris Lucille Jump.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Jan Howard, and survived by his second wife, Margaret Ferris of Ormiston, Australia. He is preceded in death by his sister, Joan Ely Perkinson, Colts Neck, New Jersey and survived by his younger sister, Connie Ely Cadwallader, Bowling Green, Ohio.

 As a kid, Bruce earned money by mowing lawns & having 2 newspaper routes. He loved boating at the family lake cottage at Hamilton Lake, Indiana. Later in life, in Australia, he built several boats and canoes. In High School, he played tuba in the school band, which began his life-long love of music. He learned how to play the accordion and organ. Went on to join a Barbershop Quartet as an adult. Bruce graduated from Antwerp High School in 1957. One summer, he packed his VW Bug and drove west to a summer job at a lumber mill in Libby, Montana. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1961 as an architect. He later joined the US Army and served 2 years stationed in Germany. After he was discharged, he traveled around Europe & toured 30 countries. He met his future wife, Jan Howard who was also traveling. In December 1966, he flew to Brisbane, Australia, to marry Jan, not knowing a single person (other than Jan) in the wedding party. His outgoing nature helped him easily make friends. He found work as an architect building residential houses. He also bought several rental properties. He and Jan raised 4 children; Guy, Matthew who was adopted at 3 months old, Benjamin and Christina. They have 9 grandchildren, all living in Australia. In 1975, he built their large 2 story house in Ormiston, a suburb of Brisbane, near the bay. In his spare time he built a 30 foot motor sailboat that was launched in 1990 and still floats today. He became an Australian citizen in 1986. Bruce met his second wife, Margaret, in 2001 and they did some traveling. He converted his van into a camper van and they traveled to concerts along the Queensland coast. They also traveled to the US several times to visit his father in Florida, his sister & other relatives in Ohio. He and Margaret married in 2016. They bought a small cottage in Killarney, out in the country north of Brisbane and spent many weekends enjoying the quiet of nature. He was outgoing and very friendly to everyone he met. His boisterous manner embarrassed his kids even into adulthood. He loved life. He is deeply missed and will not be forgotten.

A graveside service for him will be held at Maumee Cemetery, Antwerp on August 21, 2024, at 1:00 PM.

All his friends are encouraged to attend and share their memories of Bruce.

Fond Memories may be shared at dooleyfuneralhome.com.