Bruce R. Buzzard left his earthly home and joined his Heavenly Father on Tuesday afternoon, March 21, 2017. He had bravely battled cancer for some time, and passed away at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown at the age of 65.

Born in East Liverpool on July 16, 1951, Bruce was the son of the late Arnett H. and Dorothy A. Reed Buzzard and was raised in the West Point area.

He was a 1969 graduate of Beaver Local High School. It was there he had met his future wife, the former Judy Hitt, whose father had come to this area to help build the new Route 7/11 highway. He and Judy were married on July 25, 1970, and moved to East Liverpool.

Bruce enjoyed being busy, and especially loved helping others. He had worked most recently at Nentwick’s Nursing Home, driving the residents to and from their doctors’ appointments. He also led a monthly church service there, and said often that the residents were the ones who uplifted him, rather than the other way around. He had also worked in the casting department at Hall China at one time, and was a crane operator at MacIntosh-Hemphill until its closing. More recently, he had been a cook at both Adrian’s and at Maxi’s Lunchbox.

A member of the East Liverpool Church of God, Bruce had also cooked and served in the soup kitchen at the church. He belonged to T.O.P.S. group #1390 in East Liverpool.

He and Judy were the proud parents of two daughters: Natalie “Nikki” Stoll and her husband, Butch, and Kimberly “Kim” Shreve and her husband, Scott, all of East Liverpool. There are nine grandchildren: Tyler, Nyasia, Mercedes, Cynthia, Olivia, Trevor, Russell, Scotty and Kyle, as well as eight great-grandchildren.

A brother survives, Ron Mariani, of Ellwood City, PA, along with a special nephew, Jeff Buzzard, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Also preceding him in death in 2001 was a brother, Alan “Dink” Buzzard.

Friends may visit at the Dawson Funeral Home on Sunday, where the family will be present from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, with Pastor Ben Crouch of the church officiating. Following the service, friends and family will gather at the Dawson Family Center for a continued time of fellowship.

“By His stripes, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)