Roy Oliver Bruno

Roy Oliver Bruno died July 02, 2020, at the age of 101 years-11 months-02 days. He died at the farm where he resided in Estancia, New Mexico since 2003. Roy was preceded in death by his parents James Tilden Bruno and Nora Mae Harrington, brother Howard Earl Bruno and his wife of 63 years Irma Agnes Bruno. Not long after they were married Roy and Irma cared for nephew Rodney. He was very like a son to the couple and experience with the youngster caused Roy to declare he wanted four sons after which Irma could have as many more children as she wanted. Roy is survived by sons Roy E. (Diana) Bruno, Peter (Jane) Bruno, Dale (Annie) Bruno, Chris (Sara) Bruno, nephew Rodney (Gloria) Hill and daughters Kim (Marco) Bañales, Patricia Bruno. Roy's family continues to grow with 24 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Born on August 1, 1918, in North Creek, New York, Roy recalled as a child that he would often hear adults whisper, "Don't excite Little Roy. He's got a bad heart and won't live long." In his elder years he would chuckle at the irony of having outlived all those who had predicted his early demise. He often told stories of growing up in the woods where he observed the wild creatures. His experiences lead to a life-long study of animal behavior. He loved camping, hunting, and fishing and for a time earned a living as gunsmith and guide. Skills that served him well in the military. Roy proudly served in the US Navy during WWII with the 146th US Naval Construction Battalion. He was among the first to be called "Seabee." In 1943, he helped build the largest Naval Fuel Depot in Iceland. January, 1944, Roy took part in the rearmament of Landing Ship Tanks (LST) in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. These craft carried troops from ship to shore during the D-Day Invasion. Roy was awarded his first Bronze Star by participating in the invasion of the French coast. As Roy recalled, the Navy thought he did such a good job in Europe, they shipped him off to the Pacific. Roy was a member of the occupation force on Okinawa where he earned his second Bronze Star. After the war Roy and Irma raised their six children in upstate New York. He worked for Mohawk Airlines as a test welder, refitting and testing the welds that would keep aircraft in tact under the stresses of commercial use. His later employment life was spent in San Manuel, Arizona as a layout welder for Magma Copper Company. Recreationally, Roy had two loves: motorcycles and horses. Before the war, Roy enjoyed racing motorcycles. There are even family photos of his daring young bride astride the mechanical beasties. When his family was established, one evening after supper Roy asked his children to choose; the family could buy a motorcycle or horse. Put to a vote the older boys were outnumbered. The majority voted "Horse!". Roy studied everything he could regarding horses. He became a skilled farrier specializing in corrective horseshoes. However, his passion was training horses branded incorrigible. He helped horses deemed dangerous lose their fear and mistrust of people to become well-mannered, reliable mounts. At the age of 85 Roy, now a widower, packed his truck. He and his Vizsla dog, Emerald , moved from Arizona to Central New Mexico to live on his daughter's farm. There is always something that needs fixing on a farm and Roy filled his hours puttering about. The farm also offered Roy the opportunity to purchase what was to be his last horse, an Arabian gelding named Ben. Roy and Ben were two old codgers enjoying their last years together. Roy was 96 years old, Ben was 30 when the two went for a last ride. Roy traded his spurs for a dog leash and the dog community became the center of his social life. He became a fixture at dog classes taught at the Sandia Dog Obedience Club training facility in Albuquerque, NM. He loved to go to local dog shows where Judges, professional dog handlers, and exhibitors would listen to him reminisce. Readily identified by the WWII Veteran's cap he always wore, Roy would give students advice, cheer their success, and help hold dogs ringside when an extra pair of hands were needed. Roy was accomplished with the Harmonica. He had been an elder in his church and taught at a Community College though he never finished high school. His ideal of the human equine partnership was realized when he became President of the Pinal County Sheriff's Posse, and the Posse members became a well-used civilian branch of the county law enforcement community. He was a life-long member Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3370, Estancia Valley, NM. Roy was just an ordinary man who was born at the height of the Spanish Flu pandemic. He witnessed travel change from horse-drawn buggies to automobiles, to jet aircraft. He lived through war and economic depression. In his lifetime women got the vote, civil upheaval lead to civil rights. Man landed on the moon. Black and white, silent movies became cinema with sound and color. Ice boxes became refrigerators. Washing machines and telephones were invented. Home encyclopedia sets gave way to computers and the Internet. Roy was an ordinary man who lived an extraordinary 102 years. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, memorial internment at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Tucson, Arizona, will be held at a later date. The family requests memorial gifts be made to: America's Horse Cares Program American Quarter Horse Foundation P.O. Box 32111 Amarillo, TX 79120 Torrance County 4H Dog Project P.O. Box 168 Estancia New Mexico 87016 American Kennel Club Canine Legislative Support Fund www.apps.akc.org/apps/governmentrelations/donations.cfm Arrangements entrusted to: Riverside Funeral Home of Albuquerque 225 San Mateo Blvd. NE 505-764-9663 Arrangements entrusted to: Riverside Funeral Home 225 San Mateo Blvd. NE 505-764-9663