Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Innichement will follow in the New Ulm City Cemetery Columbarium where the New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor Honor Guard will provide full military honors.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes – North Chapel in New Ulm. Visitation will continue from 10-11 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Linda, who loved him and took care of him until the day he died. His children, even though some live far away, were there constantly to spend quality time with him. His wonderful children are: Chad Savoy and partner Sarah Schuur, Amber Jacobs and husband Randy, and Caitlin Leonard and husband Nathan. His grandchildren are: Taylor Savoy, Dakota Savoy, Brandon Savoy, Levi Leonard, Liam Leonard, and an expected grandchild to arrive in July, whose middle name will be “Bruce”. Bruce is also survived by his special brother, Ralph, and his wife, Yvonne; and by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Brian and Amy Ubl and their daughter, Shalynn. Bruce and Ralph spent a lot of time enjoying activities together throughout their lives. Bruce is also survived by nieces and nephews: brother Ralph’s children, Brittney Clarke and husband Seth, Andy Savoy, Jennie Savoy and partner Joey Green, and Reis Savoy and wife Emily, and Sister Linda’s children Tim Schultz and wife Laura, and Tom Schultz. In addition, Bruce has many great nieces and nephews. Bruce dearly loved all family members, but special mention must be given to Diesel, his ever faithful husky/lab, who was his closest companion whenever possible.

Bruce was born November 25, 1949, to Felton Claude Savoy and Pearl Caroline (Westphal) Savoy in St. Peter, Minnesota. They moved to Nicollet in 1955 and Bruce graduated from Nicollet High School in 1967. He married Karen Kraus of New Ulm. After they divorced, Bruce married Linda Ubl Waibel on June 9, 1987, in New Ulm.

After high school, Bruce enlisted in the United States Navy. He completed basic training and graduated as a hospital corpsman from Great Lakes Naval Base, Illinois, in 1968. His orders assigned him to the Great Lakes Naval Base Hospital in the neurosurgery ward, taking care of veterans returning home from Vietnam as paraplegics, quadriplegics, and with traumatic brain injuries. In 1969, Bruce was transferred to the US Marine Corps 3rd Division in California as part of the Field Med School. He served in the navy and marines in Hawaii and Okinawa. He then joined 1,200 fellow marines aboard the USS Vancouver, serving admirably in military operations in Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. Bruce was honorably discharged in December 1971.

After serving his country, Bruce enrolled at Mankato State University for two years, then transferred to the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mortuary Science in 1977.

After graduation, Bruce served an internship at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home (MVFH) for one year. He was then employed by MVFH for 40 years where he spent his entire funeral director career, providing assistance and comfort to families during their time of grieving. He served as MVFH’s General Manager for 25 years, from 1992 until 2017, eventually retiring on February 28, 2017.

Since retirement, Bruce has been very active with family activities, friends, and as a volunteer. He was a firm believer in giving back to the community by volunteering for the New Ulm American Legion, Comrades of Valor, American Legion Made Rights crew, and many other organizations. He and his wife, Linda, also volunteered their time to the Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed watering the downtown plants together. In his free time, Bruce enjoyed long distance running, biking, golfing, four-wheeling, morel mushroom hunting and ice fishing.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Felton and Pearl; sister, Linda; and brother-in-law, Rodney; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Norbert and Betty Ubl; and brother-in-law, Marvin Ubl.

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