Bruce Schulze, of Kingston, passed away at 12:18 P.M. Saturday, July 1st, 2023 at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City while holding his son Garrett's hand. He had been in bad health for a few years.

Gordon Bruce Schulze Jr. was the first-born child of Gordon Bruce Schulze Sr. and Selah Rose Lewis Schulze. He was born on February 18th, 1949 in Watonga (Blaine County), Oklahoma.

When Bruce was one year old, he moved with his family to Muskogee, OK where he would live for the next ten years. Bruce attended Sacred Heart Catholic School through fifth grade.

In 1960, the Schulze family moved to Durant, OK with Gordon Sr's promotion to supervisor with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

At age 15 in 1964 Bruce earned his Eagle Scout from Troop 615 in Durant which he was quite proud of.

In 1966 Bruce received his Ham Radio License. On the air worldwide he was known as "KE5J". Bruce continued this hobby throughout his life.

Bruce's summer jobs in High School included working at Green Spray Grocery Store, hauling hay, and mowing the Armstrong Cemetery for twenty dollars.

Bruce attended sixth grade at Washington Irving and graduated from Durant High School with the class of 1967. In High School, Bruce was the starting pitcher for the baseball team for the Durant Lions.

After graduation, Bruce moved with his family to Pawnee, OK due to Gordon Sr's promotion to Commander of the Pawnee District of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1967. At Pawnee Bruce worked at Cheetum's Grocery Store. After a week at working at Cheetum's Grocery, Mr. Cheetum called Bruce in and said "Bruce, I like you, but I'm going to have to fire you if you don't stop eating all the canned whipped cream!".

In December of 1967 Bruce joined the United Stated Navy and left for Boot Camp at San Diego, CA. Bruce completed boot camp and Radioman "A" School and then was sent to the communication ship USS Arlington where Bruce witnessed the Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 splashdowns in 1969.

In 1970 Bruce was sent to the USS Satyr in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War serving with the Mobile Riverine Force under Task Force 117. Bruce was wounded in action from shrapnel in Vietnam and received a purple heart.

While in the Navy Bruce's travels included Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and Midway Island in the Pacific.

Bruce was discharged from active duty in 1971 and went into the Naval Reserve. Upon returning home from Vietnam in 1971 Bruce bought a 1971 Mach 1 Ford Mustang with money he saved in the combat zone.

When Bruce returned home from Vietnam his family had return to Durant due to Gordon Sr's retirement from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1969.

In 1972 Bruce transferred to the Oklahoma Army National Guard and later the Army Reserve where he served until 1987.

In Durant, Bruce enrolled at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU) on the G.I. Bill. Bruce graduated from SOSU in 1975 with a double major in Industrial Arts and Safety. Bruce did teach senior citizens at SOSU how to drive.

In 1975 Bruce took a job as a campus police officer at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. In 1976 Bruce returned to Durant to work as a campus security guard at SOSU where Bruce stayed for seven years. Bruce worked under his father who was head of campus security at SOSU at that time.

Bruce also donated time to being a Scoutmaster for Durant's Boy Scout Troop 615 in the early 70's. Troop 615 was also the Troop that Bruce's sons were active in where Bruce's youngest son Garrett received his Eagle Scout in 2009.

In 1982 Bruce was accepted into the Oklahoma Highway Patrol 39th Academy graduating in August of 1982. Bruce's first assignment was with the Mayes County detachment of Troop L. On December 3rd, 1982 with three months on the job  Bruce was assisting the Mayes County Sheriff's Office on a warrant service when Bruce was shot in the head. Bruce spent 10 days in the St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Bruce never quit the Highway Patrol.

In 1985 Bruce transferred from Mayes County to the Marshall County detachment of Troop E, residing in Madill, OK. In 1986 Bruce moved to Kingston, OK where his next-door neighbor Rhonda Armstrong resided. Bruce met Rhonda on June 26th, 1986 and they were married the next year on the same day.

Bruce retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 2004 serving 22 years.

Bruce loved Lake Texoma and loved to fish for Crappie. Bruce had his secret places for brush piles where the Crappie were biting good.

Another great love of Bruce was History especially the Civil War. Bruce went to Vicksburg, MS yearly with the exception of this year. Bruce also traveled to many other battlefields including Honey Springs, Jackson, Shiloh, Gettysburg, Atlanta, Chickamauga, and many others.

Bruce's three sons always aced the Civil War section of the achievement tests in school.

Bruce had his SCUBA diving license in the early 70's. Diving at Lake Murray, Lake Texoma and the Gulf of Mexico.

Bruce loved traveling and visited 44 states and also visited Canada and Mexico.

Our gracious Lord has blessed our Bruce tremendously as he has had nine lives as you will see:

1.         Born dead in 1949. Bruce's father was a combat medic in World War 2 and revived him.

2.         Wounded in Vietnam in 1970 by shrapnel from a B40 Rocket. Awarded Purple Heart.

3.         Shot in the head in 1982 while serving with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

4.         Totaled his Ranger Pickup in 1986 in Leflore County Oklahoma.

5.         Totaled his Super Duty Pickup in 2007 on ice in Bryan County Oklahoma.

6.         Totaled his Super Duty Pickup in 2015 in Johnston County Oklahoma. (Each time Bruce walked away with minor scratches).

7.         Air Lifted to Oklahoma Heart Hospital with three blood clots.

8.         Had a bleeding ulcer in 2015 and almost died. Air Lifted to OKC.

9.         Had COVID in 2021 and was in ICU for 10 days.

10.       Air Lifted to OKC from Ardmore in 2023 where he died.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Jan Schulze Bryan and nephew Michael N. Bryan.

Bruce's survivors include his wife of 36 years Rhonda Schulze. Three sons: Aaron Matthew Means of Kingston, Micah Bruce Schulze and Wife Chelsea of Canyon, TX and Garrett Luke Schulze of Valliant. One brother Steven Schulze of Durant, One Brother in Law Stevie Bryan of Wister, OK, Special Niece Ali Marie Armstrong of Lexington, OK whom Bruce adored and commented he would like a daughter like her. One aunt Kay Dumesnil of Spring, TX. Two granddaughters who were his sunshine: Elizabeth Therese Schulze and Madeleine Claire Schulze both of Canyon, TX. Two step grandchildren: Ethan Grant Ballard and Oliva "Danielle" Ballard both of Wilson, OK.

Life-Long friends: Troy Martin and wife Pat of Cumberland, OK. Troy was a friend of Bruce and the Schulze family since the 1950's. Linda Powell, retired Game Ranger who always took care Bruce's beloved dog Rommel.

In Lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Private services will be under the direction of Watts Funeral Home, Madill, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to wattsfuneralhome.com.