Bruce Petrich

On the evening of Nov. 6, 2015, Bruce Willis Petrich passed away in his home with his loving wife, Marj, by his side; his battle with cancer finally over. He was 73 years old.

Bruce was born on March 12, 1942, in Sanborn, Iowa, to Willis and Joyce (Raymond) Petrich. He attended Sanborn Public School, where he was involved in track, football, band and basketball. He attended one year of college at Briarcliff.

He married Janice VandenBrink in 1960, and during their 34 year marriage had three children, Wendy, Stacy and Boyd. In the early 1960s, Bruce and Janice moved to Blackfoot, Idaho, with Bruce's parents and siblings.

This move began a lifelong love for the West, even after Bruce and Janice returned to Iowa a few years later. The family frequently traveled out West, and in 1981, Bruce decided to make it his home.

His life's passion for cattle began as a young boy, and it later became his profession, having worked as head cattle buyer for Wilson's in Cherokee, Iowa. He and his brother, Scott, formed a corporation together, appropriately named Petrich Livestock, while he and Janice still lived in Iowa. Upon returning to Idaho, Bruce worked most of his years as an independent cattle buyer until his semi-retirement in 2003.

Bruce met Marjorie Smedley in Blackfoot, they were married July 3, 1999, and together they enjoyed travelling, gardening, cooking and most of all spending time with each other on their acreage in Hammett. Upon moving to Hammett, Bruce once again was back in the cattle business with a small herd and a smile on his face.

Fly fishing, gardening and raising cattle were Bruce's favorite pastimes. He knew the value of working hard and their property in Hammett reflected this attitude. And after a hard day's work, he would enjoy a beer on one of the porches of their home.

Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Petrich of Hammett; children, Wendy Jeffes (George) of Star, Stacy Wardein (Greg) of Meridian and Boyd Petrich of Boise; siblings, Ward Petrich (Cheryl) of Marco Island, Fla., Scott Petrich (Norene) of Storm Lake, Iowa, Jan Babcock (Ed) of Lake City, S.D., Meg Zach (Gerard) of New Effington, S.D.; and five grandchildren, Gavin Jeffes (Christina), Kaitlin Suekel, Caleb Suekel, Abygale Rodriguez, and Elijah Petty. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Willis and Joyce (Raymond) Petrich.

Per Bruce's wishes, a private family gathering is planned to celebrate his life in lieu of a formal service. Cremation was under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.