Bruce Wendell Masters
Bruce Wendell Masters, a quietly perceptive man with a dry sense of humor, died on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the age of 83.
Bruce was born on September 3, 1942, to Lysle and Zella (Kelly) Masters, in Charlotte, and grew up on Pearl Street. Bruce graduated from Charlotte High School in 1960. He was a hard worker, a virtue he instilled in his sons. He worked 23 years at Aluminum Extrusions, in Charlotte, and thereafter as a foreman and later plant manager at Keiper Recaro (later Atwood Automotive), in Battle Creek, and at Paradigm Products, also in Battle Creek.
Bruce enjoyed fishing (including on fly-in trips to Canada over the years with his brother, friends and son), traveling, birdwatching, reading, tending to his immaculate lawn, looking after his grandchildren and generally spending time with his family and his dog, Teddy. He was very proud of his family, including his sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. They will remember his wit, his attendance (often coaching, always cheering) at all their games, the hours he spent tutoring them on their times tables and geometry homework and on how to build a deck, fix a car and clean a fish. He was impressively, unshowily competent at many things (including anything mechanical), but, most memorably, at being a dad.
Bruce is survived by his wife of 57 years, Diane; sons, Bruce (Amanda) Masters, Chris (Candace) Masters and Brett (John White) Masters; grandchildren, Ali (Henrique) Siqueira, Coleton Masters, Caleb Masters, Jacob Masters, Darton (Chelsea) Jones and Shay (Casey) Beck; great grandchildren, Sam Beck and Ridge Beck; and brothers, Philip (Marilyn) Masters, Gordon (Ronn Blodgett) Masters and Rick Masters.
A memorial lunch and celebration of Bruce’s life will be held at First Lutheran Church, in Charlotte, on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 1 p.m. All friends and acquaintances are encouraged to attend the event and to share any memories on Bruce’s tribute page at www.prayfuneral.com. The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.