David Bruce Auld Obituary

David Bruce Auld of Peoria, AZ passed away peacefully on Friday, August 21, 2020 from complications related to Parkinson’s Disease. Born in 1936 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, he claimed Durham, North Carolina as his home. At the age of six, Bruce and his siblings moved to Galt, Canada to live with their Aunt. Although he bragged about being Canadian and loved telling stories from his childhood of living in Canada, he came back home to North Carolina at age 11 where he finished school and joined the Marine Corps. In 1961, Bruce married the love of his life, Edna (Register) Auld. After receiving his degree from North Carolina State in Product Design, Bruce and his bride drove across the country in their International Scout with travel trailer in tow listening to the music of Bob Dylan, The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. They ended their adventure in California and settled in the Santa Cruz Mountains to build their life together.

After raising their daughters, and retiring from a lifetime career at GTE Sylvania; Bruce and Edna moved to the Oregon Coast, where they built their dream home on the Elk River. Many happy years were spent at the stretch of the river on Haiku Lane.

To know Bruce was to know a man whose mind and hands were constantly creating. From home additions, workshops, tree houses, bird houses, chicken coops, barns, and finally the home on Elk River; Bruce gave a new meaning to the design-and-build business. His family can attest to the constant trail of sketches, models, measuring tapes, PVC pipe, nails, gorilla glue and duct tape found in various places throughout the house. Coos Curry Supply, in Port Orford, OR is also grieving the loss of a lifetime hardware customer!

Bruce loved succulents and wood paneling, a-frame architecture and atriums. He valued function over fashion and creativity over aesthetics. He hated politics and fake smiles. The preferred fashion choice for Bruce was a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt, topped with a flannel. His most favorite outfits were evident by rips, tears and paint smears.

Bruce loved good BBQ, fresh salmon, local clam chowder, and butter-pecan ice cream. If you ordered pizza for him, get the combo with thick crust every time! Bruce also loved to fish. He enjoyed tying his own flies, but also loved the rhythm of a good, solid spinner. A sign of his affection was an invitation to go fishing. His two daughters and five grandchildren all had the experience of not only catching a fish, but learning how to clean, prepare and cook it with their Papa.

Bruce loved Edna; his wife of 60 years, his partner in adventure and his backseat driver. Of all the things that Bruce created in his life, he was most proud of his girls, his grandchildren, and his great grand-daughter. Bruce is survived and remembered by his wife, Edna Auld; daughter, Sharon McElroy; grandchildren: Ryan Bray (Kaitlyn), Chelsie Schwarzenbach (Joshua), David Zachary Bray, Maegan McElroy, Connor McElroy; great-grandaughter, Madeline Bray and sisters; Gail Tash and Patricia Uzzle, Preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Evelyn Ellis Auld; brother Richard Auld, daughter, Karen Bray (Vernie) and Foxey, his beloved corgy-terrier guard-dog.

Bruce was selective about those that he considered friends, but once you were invited to garden, build, fish or share a beer and a conversation with him; you were accepted into his circle. A small gathering to celebrate the life of Bruce Auld will take place on the Elk River with his circle of those he loved. Bruce was connected to nature and trees in a spiritual way. If you are inclined, it would make him smile to contribute to https://thetreesremember.com to have a tree planted in his memory. Bruce and Edna also have many memories from Big Basin State Park in CA which has recently been devastated by wildfire. Contributions to help recover this historic park may be made through the following link: https://sempervirens.org