Obituary for Bruce D. Burriss
Bruce D. Burriss
10/14/1940 - 04/02/2020
Bruce David Burriss (79) of Nashville, TN and formerly of Westerville, OH passed away peacefully on April 2, 2020 due to complications with Alzheimer’s.
He was born October 14, 1940 in Bexley, Ohio to James Thomas and Reda Watkins Burriss. He graduated from Bexley High School class of 1958. He served in the Army Reserve at Fort Knox. He earned a B.S. in Real Estate at The Ohio State University (‘1962, Phi Gamma Delta – Fiji) and further completed that degree with M.A.I. S.R.P.A. designations.
He married Vera Luise Mertelsmann in a civil ceremony Dec. 22, 1967 in Columbus, Ohio and had a church ceremony following in Germany, December 30, 1967. They remained in Germany for two years where Bruce studied painting, an appreciated hobby throughout his life. They returned to Bexley where they had two sons Thomas (’71) and Michael (’74) and moved to Westerville in 1974. Bruce was a career-long real-estate appraiser and some time developer before his retirement. In Westerville, he was a member of Church of the Master UMC. Vera and Bruce moved in retirement to Nashville in 2011 and remained there for the balance of his life.
Most notably Bruce was fondly known for his quick wit with words, an eye for appreciating art, a joy, love and kindness for family and friends, and deep fervor for the Buckeyes.
He is survived by his spouse Vera; two sons, Thomas D. (Marie E.) and Michael J. (Katey); and three grandchildren Hunter M. (Taylor W.), Chelsea M., and Luisa K. Bruce will be interred alongside his parents at Glen Rest in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
No services are planned at this time. A memorial service, celebration of life will be planned at a healthy later date in the fall.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donations in Bruce’s name be made to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research: brightfocus.org/cureALZ or22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, MD 20871.