Obituary of Bruce Anderson

May 11, 1954 – Winnipeg, Manitoba

February 15, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

We are heartbroken to let you know that our dear Bruce passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, following an unexpected and very brief illness.

Bruce was the absolute love of his partner and spouse, Sheila Clark and his sons, David and Kevin Cox.

Born May 11, 1954, in Winnipeg, MB to Dennis and Patricia Anderson. Bruce moved to Alberta as a young child.  The family lived in the community of Southwood and as a child Bruce spent hours cycling to Fish Creek, exploring and looking at the “critters” he found.

Bruce will be remembered for his intellect and curiosity and his desire to not only look at and enjoy the wonder of the birds, animals and flowers he and Sheila found as they hiked, drove and explored his beloved mountains, foothills and prairie of Alberta but to learn all he could about the behaviour, ecology and in particular the migration habits of the birds he saw.  He spent years and hours in the field, diligently and competently reading and recording neck collars on waterfowl, identifying thousands of individual Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese as they migrated through Alberta.  He also recorded leg markings on Harlequin Ducks in Banff National Park and shorebirds nesting and migrating through the prairies.  He has left a legacy of long-term conservation data for the birds he loved to look at.

We cherish his sharing his scope or binoculars, instilling curiosity, attention to detail (how to read those teeny band numbers), empathy and appreciation for nature. Hiking, we learned about trees, flowers, mammals, birds and the cycle of life from his encyclopedic knowledge, stories and questions. Canoeing we learned how to do a J stoke, how to move silently towards loons or turtles. We learned how to treat the world, and each other, well and with love.

Bruce connected personally with everyone he met.  He had a genuine interest in learning about people, where they were from, what they thought.  He had an amazing ability to remember them, and in subsequent encounters ask about their children or how their crops were, which resulted in all who met him feeling special.

Left behind are Sheila, his boys, David (Katy and grandson James), Kevin (Sunny), his sister Barbara and his father Dennis as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Bruce was predeceased by his mother Patricia in 2020.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date when family and friends can gather. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed here.  If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Wilderness Association, 455 – 12th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Y9 Telephone: (403) 283-2025.  www.albertawilderness.ca or to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in his name.

In living memory of Bruce Anderson, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.