On June 24, 1956 in Sac City, Iowa, Loraine and Hubert Perry welcomed a baby boy named Bruce Lee into the world. Young Hubert was severely shaken when his older brother was killed in Italy in WWII; Loraine had lost her mother when she was in seventh grade and had to bear such a loss through the Great Depression. Bruce came onto the scene of a family who had endured many odds, including his parents losing at least eight parenting opportunities due to miscarriages or premature births. Bruce’s parents wanted to provide him a life free from the difficulties they had experienced growing up and make him feel as special and loved as possible, or in Bruce’s words “It is not surprise that I was ‘a bit’ over protected and perhaps slightly spoiled.”
   The family lived right behind the Methodist Church and as a child Bruce spent many hours with his grandparents and his father on their farm. Full of ambition from the start, before school even started Bruce announced to his parents that he was going to go to the high school– not the elementary school. And, in fact, the year that Bruce started kindergarten, the kindergarten classes were moved to the high school building.
   While in grade school, Bruce joined Cub Scouts, where one of his projects involved collecting postcards. While he discontinued scouting, Bruce’s passion for collecting postcards became a lifelong hobby. While Bruce and his classmates were learning to spell words and read sentences, Bruce also began taking piano lessons, learning to read notes and play stanzas just before turning four years old. Bruce’s grandfather expected the boy to take up the farming profession when he had grown, but the way of the barn was hardly a life of any zest for Bruce. With multiple allergies and a lack of enjoyment for the outdoors, farming was anything but Bruce’s goal.
   Bruce’s father Hubert used to tell him “Find something that makes you happy, and be creative enough to get someone to pay you to do it. If you are fulfilled by what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” Reminded of his father’s mantra, Bruce decided it would be best to find something he loved for his occupation, and he was determined to accomplish that objective, regardless of others’ expectations. Discovering the joy of music at a young age ultimately led to a vocation for Bruce.
   After graduating from Sac City High School, he ventured off to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa to study music and biochemistry. He later studied music at the graduate level at Stony Brook University in New York and University of Iowa. As a classical pianist, he performed throughout the Midwest and in Brazil. As a singer he performed in recital, opera, and oratorio.
  Moving closer to his middle-aged years, Bruce's music career turned to being a studio teacher of piano and vocal students. Bruce operated a private studio for aspiring musicians and had served on the voice faculties of Buena Vista University and Drake University. It was extremely gratifying for Bruce to know that more than forty of his former students are currently pursuing careers in the musical world.
   Bruce was the Coordinator of Worship and Music at Grace Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa for 32 years. While the liturgical year repeats, Bruce found great joy in finding ways to energize the pathway for increasing worshippers’ quest for faithfulness and discipleship.
  Directing the Fort Dodge Choral Society proved to be an opportunity that combined all his creative talents— from choosing a theme for the next concert, to researching to find the right music, rehearsing with the choir, and finally performing. Bruce considered Choral Society’s performance of “Alzheimer's Stories” by Robert S. Cohen and Herschel Garfein to be one of the most poignant artistic achievements of his life. While it was the love of music that brought these people into each other's lives, the choristers stayed together due to their deep friendships.
   Outside of his musicianship, Bruce was a dedicated historian and visionary for Sac City and the communities of Sac County. Bruce published a book for Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series about Sac County, using historic postcards from his collection that he started in grade school. He wrote many National Register nominations for historical properties in the area, including the Chautauqua Park Historic District, Park Hotel, and the Sac City Monument Square District.
   Bruce was a successful grant writer, recently producing grants to help with projects like the kiosks near the popcorn ball, renovations to the Chautauqua Building, and the feasibility study for the middle school. Bruce was President of the Sac Community Foundation. He served on the Sac City Council since 2014 and was an ambassador for the community in numerous ways, leading his work to expand beyond the city and include roles like:

-          Executive Board Member for Iowa League of Cities

-          Past President for Northwest Iowa League of Cities

-          President of Preservation Iowa

-          President of Sac County Historic Preservation Commission

-          Sac County Economic & Tourism Development Board Member

   Bruce profoundly committed himself to the community of Sac City and was a Third Degree Mason in the Sac City Occidental Lodge #178, performing dozens of Masonic Services for his brethren who passed before him.
   Bruce entered eternal life on June 10, 2023. His earthly influence will continue through all who were touched by his gifts of encouragement. Those who will continue to cherish his memory include cousins: Marva Jean Hutchens, Marvin (Marian) Hutchens, Marlin (Linda) Hutchens, Marlowe (Kim) Hutchens, Bob Hooker, Tom Hooker, Scott Manly, Richard Manly, and Bunny Andrews.
   Bruce was preceded in the journey to light by his parents and their siblings, infant brother Manly and sister Barbara, whom he never got to meet.