Bruce Allen Chaffin
June 12, 1958 - January 9, 2025
Bruce, dad, Grandpa and husband, the one and only. If you knew him, you knew. His energy was magnetic, his laugh contagious, and his ability to fix anything was unsurpassed. I had the privilege of being his daughter for almost 42 years. He taught me how to love, laugh and make anything out of anything, fix anything, and just create the most amazing creations. He brought laughter and life to every person he met, even strangers. He was born in Oklahoma but moved around most of his life. But he always settled on Colorado as his home. We are pleased he chose to say goodbye to this life phase here in that home. Bruce and his wife, Carol, moved to Minnesota almost 7 years ago. Not too long after in 2019 he was diagnosed with Tonsil cancer which had spread to his lymph nodes. He opted to forgo traditional western medicine treatment and he and Carol battled the cancer with diet and supplements. Thus giving him a happy, generally pain free 5 years to live. Golfing, fishing, traveling, pickle ball games, tinkering on cars and as always, building. Outfitting a travel van for he and Carol to retire in and travel the country. He really made the most of his time here. Traveling with me on several trips and bucket list items as well, he didn’t leave much undone or unseen. To our great sadness, his cancer got the better of him in the beginning of 2024, slowly taking away some of those freedoms, hobbies, and ease and his pain started increasing. Bruce enrolled in Colorados MAID (medical aid in dying) program early 2024. He felt very strongly that he wanted to be in charge of his end on this earth. And he was. He made the decision on Thursday January 9th surrounded by his loved ones. He will be missed by so, so many, including his family. He is survived by his wife Carol, her daughters -Angel and Wendy, granddaughters- Hayley and Devon, his daughter Sarah, Danny - son in law and Grand children Maximilian and Liam, Sarah’s mother-Sue, brother- Mark, nieces Meghan and Ellen and nephew Alex.
He was my heart and so much more than a dad. But he is not in pain anymore, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Bruce’s Celebration of Life
There will be a Colorado celebration here in the spring. I (Sarah) will coordinate a day to return some of him back to a place he loved to fish; the Platte River. We can enjoy the sun and some of Colorados finest nature. Date to follow. Carol Phillips will also be having a spring celebration in Scandia MN to place his rocks around his tree of life in the Better Place Forest. This will also be springtime and date to follow. Please check back for more details.
