Funeral services for Bruce A. Parsons, age 81 of Leith, will be held at 9:30 a.m. MT, Friday, August 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Carson with Pastor Wayne Rouse, officiating.


Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. CT on Friday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan with full military honors afforded by the Walter J. Thome American Legion Post #45 of Carson and the VFW #707 of Mandan.


Special music will be provided by Janice Steinmetz, organist and Keith Gall, soloist.


Serving as casketbearers are Earl, Harry, Marlin, Ervin Schneider; Ed Sauter, and Fred Neher. All friends and relatives are considered honorary bearers.


BRUCE ARDEN PARSONS was born June 3, 1927 at Mott, ND. He was the eleventh and youngest child born to Thomas and Mamie (Wyant) Parsons. Bruce graduated from Mott High School in 1945. He joined the U.S. Army and was discharged on 21 September 1947.


Bruce was united in marriage to Elsie Freda Neher on April 2, 1948 at Williston, ND. They had six children, three sons and three daughters. He drove bus #407 for the Interstate Transportation Company out of Bismarck. His job moved him from Minot to Bismarck, to Killdeer, then to Hettinger and Mott.


Bruce then joined the U.S. Army National Guard. He was Shop Chief and a mechanic at the Mott National Guard Armory for 27 years until retiring in April of 1980. He then drove the activity bus for the Mott school until moving to Leith in 1989.


He enjoyed music all of his life, playing piano for several bands including The Moonlight Serenaders and the Silver Kings. After moving to Leith, Bruce stayed active by playing and singing for residents in nursing homes and care centers in the area. Getting many requests to come and entertain, Bruce was named volunteer of the year for the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Mott in 2007.


Bruce had woodworking hobbies, making items such as toothpick holders and game boards. He recently started a new hobby making pen and pencil sets in his shop at Leith.


Bruce passed away on Monday morning, August 11, 2008 at MedCenter One in Bismarck.


He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Elsie and children, Steve (Pat) Parsons, Grand Junction, CO; Sherrill (Bobby) Harper, Leith, ND; Sheila Jones, Dowagiac, MI; Bruce Parsons and special friend Lynn Goodrich, Mott, ND; Stacy (Randy) Wintjen, Conway, AR; Shane Parsons, Bottineau, ND; 13 grandchildren; two great grandchildren; one brother, Virden Parsons, Apache Junction, AZ; one sister, Avis Lamon, Scott City, KS.


Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, eight siblings, and one grandchild Rebecca Lynn Jones.


Bruce is already greatly missed by his family and many friends.


Visitation will be Thursday, 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin and on Friday one hour prior to services at the church in Carson.