Obituaries

BRUCE CLIFFORD HILL

JULY 13, 1956 TO SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Surrounded by his devoted family, Bruce Hill passed away peacefully at Grace Hospice in Winnipeg, Manitoba on September 14th, at the age of 67, following a courageous battle with cancer. Left to forever cherish his memory are his wife, Bonny, and his children: Craig (Kayla), Stephanie (Nick), Adrianne (Josh), and stepdaughter Chelsea (Jerrod). Fondly known as “Motorcycle Papa” and “Granny Bon’s Papa,” he leaves behind his grandchildren: Stella, Harvey, Fletcher, Duke, and Kysen, and step grandchildren Cole and Jayde. Bruce is also survived by his brother Ralph (Winnie) and sister Susan (Eric).

Born on July 13th, 1956, in Claresholm, Alberta, Bruce’s family relocated to Winnipeg shortly thereafter, where he would spend the entirety of his life. Bruce spent many years working the night shift at CN Railway and CP Railway as a skilled train mechanic. Alongside his career, he shared his passion for motorcycles by instructing the motorcycle course for Safety Services Manitoba for over four decades, forming lifelong friendships with his colleagues who remained in touch even after his illness forced him to retire.

Beyond his professional life, Bruce was a skilled craftsman who found solace and joy in his garage. There he built everything from the garage itself to shelves, tables, and decorative wooden reindeer. He taught his children how to use his tools and encouraged them to create their own imaginative projects. He would often involve them in constructing walls and drywalling the basement, only to secretly redo the work alone later that night. Today, his children are not only skilled but also deeply grateful for his guidance and the countless hours he spent assisting them in their own home renovations.

Bruce’s love for his children was evident in the quality time he spent with them, cycling in Birds Hill Park, building colossal sand turtles at Grand Beach, and embarking on thrilling motorcycle adventures that often concluded with hotdogs and ice cream. Weekends were often spent at Home Depot and Canadian Tire, gathering supplies for the next renovation project, frequently followed by a giant shared bowl of ice cream at Dutch Maid.

Bruce and Bonny had a beautiful yard and flourishing garden, where they grew an abundance of vegetables and delighted in strolling their grandchildren around to pick the ripe produce. Strangely enough, Bruce seldom indulged in vegetables himself, favouring instead a burger on one of his freshly baked buns or a slice of homemade black forest cake accompanied by a glass of coke. Almost weekly, he would make buns from scratch, resulting in many unofficial competitions with his mother, where no one dared to declare a winner.

Sharing a love for travel, Bruce and Bonny explored many destinations together, with Mexico being their favourite winter escape. In line with Bruce’s wishes, there will not be a formal funeral service. Instead, his family will honour his memory with a trip to Mexico, where they will celebrate his life while sipping ice-cold Cervezas on the beach.