Obituary: Gage, Bruce Ballinger
Born February 10, 1918, Bruce Ballinger Gage was the oldest of four sons born to Edwin Russell and Florence Ballinger Gage in Shoshone, ID.
Growing up on the Dietrich family farm he ran the plow horses and helped build a landmark dairy barn.
After graduating valedictorian from Dietrich High School, Bruce finished business school at Gooding College where he earned room and board by shoveling coal into the dormitory boilers.
From Gooding, Bruce moved to Spokane to work for the Grange Cooperative Wholesale.
His coworker Ernie Clouse and wife Phyllis introduced him to Phyllis’s sister Eleanor.
It was love at first sight.
Bruce and Eleanor married in 1940, and the rest is history.
Bruce joined the U.S. Army in 1942 and served in recruiting and induction, and base recreation.
He was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant in 1945.
Returning to Spokane, he resumed work at the Grange Wholesale and eventually became General Manager.
With a lift in his walk and a pansy in his lapel he would often walk to work.
After 25 years with the Grange, Bruce became Public Relations Director for Inland Empire Goodwill Industries and later sales manager for both Carlon Industries and Wabash Life Insurance.
He then started CC&F (Courteous, Considerate and Friendly) Sales, where he supplied “natural snack” packaged soups and drinks to business offices around town,
Dad was a gentle man who enjoyed gardening, square dancing with the Spokane8ers, bowling with Eleanor, RVing, pinochle, Scrabble, coin collecting, driving his Pink Cadillac and visiting with family and friends.
He and his beautiful red-headed wife of 72 years greatly enjoyed the birds and sunsets at their year-round Deer Lake home.
From there he volunteered to pick up and deliver for food banks and Meals-on-Wheels, helped Eleanor with her Avon orders and enjoyed the Deer Park Senior Center luncheons and activities.
For the past 3 Ă‚Ë?
years Bruce lived, laughed and joked with the loving and caring staff of the Spokane Veterans Home.
Dad died April 4, 2012 at the age of 94 with loved ones at his side.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his first grandson Matthew Gage and his brothers Jack (who was killed at Guadalcanal in WWII) and Kent Gage.
Surviving Bruce is his wife Eleanor of Loon Lake, WA, daughters Nadine Sullivan of Spokane, WA, Darlene Dinwoodie (Gary) of Colbert, WA, Susan Hageman (Bill) of Republic, WA, and sons Gary G. Gage (Carrie) of Spokane, WA., and Bruce B Gage (Samantha Mace) of Spokane, 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and brother Floyd Gage of Stavely AB, Canada.
Bruce was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church.
Memorial services will be held Friday, April 20th at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 E. 24th Street, Spokane at 11 AM with Pastors Eric Dull and Corey Gage officiating.
A luncheon will follow.
Bring your memories of Bruce to share.
Interment will be at Fairmount Memorial Park at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Summer Program for Enrichment and Recreation (SPEAR) for needy neighborhood children, PO Box 4033, Spokane WA 99220.