Bruce Edward Anderson

Chaplain Bruce Edward Anderson

Bruce Edward Anderson was a Mighty Man of Valor, lover of Jesus and the Father, intentional letter writer, lifelong intercessor, retired reading teacher, faithful usher with his name badge on, prison chaplain, Kairos prison ministry team member, devoted husband, dad and grandad. He displayed the Kairos motto, “Listen. Listen. Love. Love.” in his daily interactions with others. If you want honor Bruce, take up part of his mantle of intercession, write or answer a letter to tell someone you care, join a Kairos team to visit and love on the brothers-in-white at a prison near you, and really listen to someone in need without interrupting.

Bruce Edward Anderson was born to Paul Gustaf Anderson and Helen Matilda (Black) Anderson on January 19, 1947 in Brockton, Massachusetts, the first of three sons. He entered glory on January 29, 2024 in Plano, TX and got the victory after a five-and-a-half-year battle with Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, a stroke, and finally seizures.

Bruce graduated from Brockton High School in Brockton, MA in May 1965, from Barrington College in Barrington, RI with a Bachelor of Arts in English in May 1969, and from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX in 1981 with a Master of Arts in Education as a Reading Specialist. At Barrington College, Bruce lettered in Soccer, played left wing, and may have been Team Captain his senior year.

Upon graduation from college with a very low draft number, he enlisted in the USAF. He was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, TX from July 1969 until July 1973. He served as an air traffic controller and parachutist. He loved being in the Air Force and being around airplanes. During that season Bruce married Nancy Decker in Feb 1970. They had one son, Jason Nichols Anderson in Aug 1972. Their divorce became final October 1975. Bruce continued to pray daily for Jason and Nancy, until she remarried. Bruce wrote Jason, his father, brothers, and cousins weekly for decades.

Bruce met Karen Kay Johnson at a Campus Crusade Christmas conference at University of Massachusetts in December 1975. They wrote for five years and were married in Amarillo, TX on November 29, 1980. They celebrated their 43rd anniversary 2 months before Bruce’s passing. They made their home initially in Midland, TX, where Bruce taught elementary students from fall 1980 until January 1998 for Midland ISD. In February 1998 Bruce moved to the Navajo Indian Reservation to teach reading for a year and a semester. The family moved back to Texas in the summer of 1999. He taught high school reading and test taking skills at Nimitz High School from Fall 1999 until his retirement in May 2007. After retirement he taught at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill for a semester before substitute teaching for Irving ISD.

While in Midland, Bruce and Karen had a son Joseph Gabriel Anderson in March 1986, who died at eighteen months of SIDS in October 1987. In January 1989, they welcomed Benjamin James Anderson into their family. In March 1992, they miscarried Aubrey Anderson. In February of 1993, they welcomed Bethany Joanna Anderson.

While living in Midland, Bruce was involved in the Midland Lions Club and Full Gospel Businessmen. His family was tithing, active members of various churches during their two decades there: before kids at First Christian Church and Dayspring Christian Center, and after kids at St. Paul UMC and Crestview Baptist Church. While at St. Paul UMC, Bruce became interested in missions, where he and Karen met Doug and Meg Fraiser and Jerry and Debby Smith, missionary friends they continue to support to this day. He went on several mission trips to Mexico with Karen and others solo.

After moving to the DFW area, Bruce completed multiple church sponsored training classes throughout his life including “Principles of Theophostic Ministry,” at Shady Grove Church and “The Prophetic Ministry Class” under Anita Carson and Lewis Hogan on April 22, 2009. His Community Chaplaincy Advanced Training Program, under Nathan and Cindy Timmerman, included an internship with the State of Texas at Sanders Estes prison in Venus, TX. On Feb 26, 2014 he received his Lead Community Chaplain certificate from Chaplaincy Ministries.

On April 18, 2015 Senior Pastor Rick Hope of First Baptist Church, Lillian, TX and John Caines, Assistant Pastor of City Church, Joshua wrote the following letter of ordination when he was commissioned at a Kairos team meeting:
“To Whom it May Concern:
This letter serves to certify that Bruce Anderson is recognized as spiritually gifted and ordained as a member of the clergy for whatever type of ministerial position to which God has called him.
This particular congregation (First Baptist Church, Lillian, TX) recognizes him to be a man of conviction and compassion with a strong relationship with the Lord. He has a missions heart and a love for his fellow man coupled with a desire to see all come to Jesus.”

On April 20, 2016 the Texas Department of Criminal Justice certified Bruce as a Certified Volunteer Chaplains’ Assistant at the Estes Unit. This title enabled him to visit incarcerated men in solitary confinement. He has received multiple certificates from the chaplains at Hutchins State Jail and Sanders Estes State Prison for his years of service since retiring from teaching in May of 2007. In that time, he was on eighteen 4-day Kairos inside teams at Estes (#1-16, 18 and 19), sixteen 4 -day Kairos inside teams at Hutchins (#4-9, 11-13, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 27) and one 4-day Kairos outside team at Mountain View Women’s prison (#30). Each of these events required 6 Saturdays of team meeting preparation, monthly reunions, 2 Saturday retreats in between the Kairos 4-day events, and being on the Estes Advisory Council for several years. 1470 brothers or sisters-in-white were impacted by Bruce during these Kairos trips. If you count the “time” Bruce did in prison, Bruce spent a minimum of 350 days in prison practicing, “Listen. Listen. Love. Love.”

Bruce is preceded in death by: his parents, Paul and Helen Anderson; all his beloved New England grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins: Lisa Anderson and David Witham; Karen’s parents: Jack and Ruth Johnson, and her brother Erik Alan Johnson; toddler son, Joseph Gabriel Anderson, and miscarried baby, Aubrey Anderson.

Bruce is survived by: (wife) Karen J. Anderson, (son) Benjamin James Anderson, daughter-in-law Mauna, grandson Asher Maddox Anderson, (daughter) Bethany Joanna Grainger, son-in-law Nick, forthcoming grandson Callum Eoin (pronounced Owen) Edward Grainger; (brother) Douglas Paul Anderson, sister-in-law Denise, nephews: Daniel Paul Anderson, wife Samantha, 3 children; Mark Richard Anderson, wife Holli, 3 children; Stephen Douglas Anderson, wife Angie; (brother) Gregory John Anderson, sister-in-law Linda, nephew Scott Gregory Anderson; (former wife) Nancy Anderson Gingrich, (son) Jason Nichols Anderson, daughter-in-law Diana, 3 grandchildren: Braden Paul, Korbin Thomas and Callie Marlene Anderson; (Anderson cousins): Karen Anderson, husband Gilbert, 1 daughter; Lynn Anderson, Beth Anderson and husband; (Mahoney cousins): Kathy Closson, husband John, 3 children, 3 grandchildren; Alice Bell, husband Rick, 3 sons, 6 grandchildren; Dan Mahoney, wife Tammy, 2 children; Ann Petroska, husband Phil, 1 daughter, 3 grandchildren; Tim Mahoney,(wife Maria, 2 children, 2 grandchildren, (Peterson cousin): Steve Peterson, wife Cindy, 1 daughter, 1 grandchild; (Witham cousins): Paul Witham, wife Connie; Thomas Witham, wife Marie, 2 daughters, 1 grandson; David Witham’s widow Yoka, 2 living children.

Enter through small doors facing N Carrier (via short ramp) between the Main doors to the north (with steps) and Children’s entrance doors on the south (which will be locked) for easier handicapped access to building an auditorium entrance. Accessible seating provided in lobby near those doors, memorabilia table, guestbook sign in, screens for service viewing, and meet and mingle after service.

For those unable to attend the Celebration of Life for Bruce Edward Anderson, the Gateway Church will be recording the service and a link will be provided that will not expire.
Bruce Anderson Memorial