LORA D. BRUCE

Wasilla resident Lora Delrita Bruce, 69, died at her home of congestive heart failure on March 13, 2005. Visitation and funeral services were held Thursday, March 17, at the Valley Funeral Home Chapel in Wasilla. Father Kaspar of Sacred Heart Catholic Church officiated.

Ms. Bruce was born June 9, 1935 in Bridgeport, Ala. She began her Alaska residency in Juneau in 1971. Later, she moved to Dutch Harbor and finally settled in Wasilla. She enjoyed watching television soap operas, reading soap digests on her favorite shows and ice skating. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Her family wrote, "Mom never met a stranger, she took everyone under her wing. She had lots of children and grandchildren that she did not give birth to. Everyone adopted her as their mom and grandma. Everyone who met her called her Grammy."

Her daughter wrote, "She was my very best friend in the whole world. She was very stubborn and strong-willed and she was loved all the more because of it."

Her son, Daniel James Bruce, and her parents, James and Ellen Westmoreland, preceded her in death.

She is survived by her daughter, Sally Renee Bruce of Wasilla; sons, Bill Bruce of Seattle and John Bruce of Dutch Harbor; brother, Woodrow Westmoreland and family of California; sister, Linda Gauthier of Palmer; granddaughters, Danielle Larson and family of Boise, Idaho, Heather Vandagriff and family of Anchorage and Danell Bruce of Richland, Wash.; grandsons, Craig Bruce of Dayton, Ohio, Jesse Bruce and son, James, of Bothell, Wash., John Bruce Jr. of Dutch Harbor and Ryan Bruce of Dutch Harbor; daughter-in-law, Kitty Kappl of Richland, Wash., and numerous friends who loved her dearly and whom she considered family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the family. Call Bill Bruce at (425) 260-4667 or (425) 481-9477. Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.