Renato Arellano Bruce

Renato Arellano Bruce

(Reny), devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, passed away peacefully on October 18, 2023 with his wife of 51 years Elizabeth by his side.

Reny was born on October 3, 1939 in Naga City, Philippines. He was the second eldest of seven sons born to Fermin and Angelita Bruce. As a boy he liked drawing and playing “tubigan,” a traditional Filipino child’s game similar to tag, often playing it in the evening with playmates in the light of the moon.

He went to school at Ateneo de Naga, a Jesuit school for boys, where he played drums for the school’s bugle corps. He then studied at the National University in Manila where he passed the board for architecture.

Soon after, he became an architect at the Hydro Resources Corporation drawing blueprints for the Pantabangan Dam in the Nueva Ecija province of the Philippines. There, he met Elizabeth Garcia, who was the new secretary of the chief engineer.

Reny then immigrated to San Francisco where he would join URS/Blume & Associates to work on such projects as the renovation of the State Capital building in Sacramento, the NASA wind tunnel in Mountain View, and Hangar One in

Moffett Federal Airfield. Elizabeth joined him soon after in San Francisco, and in 1972, they were married. Together they raised a family and planted firm roots in the city, living in the same home in the Portola district for 50 years.

Reny was always focused, driven, and precise throughout his career spanning over 30 years. He would remain with URS/Blume for 17 years and then move on to draw blueprints by hand and on AUTOCAD for many notable Bay Area projects like the retrofitting of City Hall in San Francisco and the San Francisco Main Public Library.

He enjoyed tennis, cycling, chess, long walks with the family dog Zero, and scotch on the rocks or an ice cold Budweiser in his more carefree days. He had a playful sense humor and impeccable taste in music and film. He listened to artists like Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, and Simon & Garfunkel. He was a devoted fan to all the San Francisco sports teams: 49ers, Giants, and Warriors.

Most of all, he was a loving, caring, and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. A quiet man of strong morals, he always put others first and would never hesitate to lend a helping hand. 

Reny was pre-deceased by his parents Angelita and Fermin, and his brothers Edgardo and Carlos.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his brothers Conrado, Antonio, Arturo, and Oscar, and his children Ermilita, Debbie, and Brian. He was a loving Lolo to his grandchildren Kai, Elliott, William, Finn, and Hazel.

In practice of his Roman Catholic faith, a rosary vigil will be held at Tulocay Chapel (411 Coombsville Rd, Napa, CA 94558) November 2, 2023 from 9:30-11:30am. Service will be held same day, from 1:00-2:30pm, followed by a reception. Catered lunch at noon provided.

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