Bruce Alan Ross

Bruce Alan Ross died peacefully on March 1, 2026, just four days shy of his 94th birthday.

Bruce was born in Denver, Colorado on March 5, 1932. Over the course of a long and colorful life he lived in several places before eventually returning to Colorado and settling in Boulder in 1986, where he became a well-known and beloved presence in the community.

Bruce believed life was meant to be lived with curiosity, kindness, and a healthy skepticism of authority. A lifelong Democrat with a classic liberal hippie spirit, he cared deeply about fairness, community, and people living freely as themselves.

He studied theater, loved the arts, and spent time in a poetry society, where conversations about ideas, politics, and life flowed easily. His favorite animal was the wolf, which he admired for its independence and loyalty — so much so that he had one tattooed on his body.

Before moving to Boulder, Bruce and his wife Jackie spent five years sailing, an adventure that reflected their shared love of exploration and living life outside the usual boundaries.

Bruce also shared his love of tennis with others. He served as tennis coach at Justice High School for several years, later coached at Boulder High School, and worked as a USTA tennis referee.

Helping others was a constant thread in Bruce's life. For five years he served as a volunteer probation officer, and he also mentored children through the court system as a court-appointed advocate, supporting young people who did not otherwise have representation.

That instinct to look after others extended well beyond formal roles. Together, Bruce and Jackie quietly became parental figures to many young people who found their way into their lives over the years. They had a gift for recognizing lost souls and pulling them into their orbit — offering guidance, a place to land, or simply someone who cared.

Earlier this week, many of those people — some who had known Bruce since they were teenagers — returned to say goodbye. It was a powerful reminder of just how many lives he had touched.

Bruce also had his own philosophy about family. He believed respect shouldn't automatically come with a title. Because of that, his grandchildren didn't grow up calling him "Grandpa." They called him Bruce, because he wanted relationships built on knowing each other as people.

That didn't stop him from creating nicknames of his own. His grandson Ross spent most of his life affectionately known as "Little Shit," a nickname delivered with the humor and warmth that perfectly captured Bruce's style of love.

Bruce's wife Jackie, whom he loved deeply, died in 2007.

He is survived by his daughter Mindy Logan; his son Michael Ross; his son-in-law Ray Logan; his grandson Ross Logan; his granddaughters Alisha Ross and Anna Doolittle; grandson-in-law Mason Doolittle; and great-grandson Tatum Doolittle.

Bruce would probably prefer not to be remembered with too much solemnity. If you're thinking about him, he'd likely suggest you laugh, tell a good story, question authority a little, and spend time with the people you love.

That would make him happy.