Bruce G. Bistline Jr.

    Bruce George Bistline, 94, of Carlisle passed away Friday January 10, 2020 in his home. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, and will be missed deeply by all.

   Bruce was born September 30, 1925 in Harrisburg the son of the late Bruce George Bistline Sr. and Ethel Viola Heckman, who died when he was two. At that time his Aunt Grace Bistline    came to live with the family and raise the children.

    He was a graduate from William Penn High School in 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy just prior to his graduation. He served during WWII, after basic training and tech school, he was assigned to the gun crew of a 5” 38 on the S.S. Yamnill, in the Asiatic-Pacific theater, a super tanker, he later became the gun captain. He was later assigned to the S.S. Felix Grundy, in the American-European theater. After returning to the US he was assigned to the Alcoa Master, and he finished the war aboard the Destroyer SS Osborne. Bruce was discharged after 45 months of service. When he returned home he was hired by PP&L as a Lineman, he later became a Line Crew Leader, and then was promoted to Co-Coordinator of work methods tools, and equipment in the distribution department.

    On December 18, 1948 he married the love of his life Bernita Jones of Shippensburg, whom he was married to for 71 years until her death June 9, 2019.

    He was a member of the Middlesex United Methodist Church for 63 years, he had served as a Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, and Trustee, he was a Lay delegate to the conference, and sang in the adult choir. He also served on mission trips to Haiti and Puerto Rico.

    He was on the Middlesex planning commission for 12 years, and served on the election board. Be belonged to the Robert Burns Lodge #464 F&AM since 1947. He had volunteered at the Church of God Home for many years. He served as president of Cumberland-Carlisle Chapter 4377 AARP, and belonged to Carlisle Senior Center.

    He and his wife had built two homes, they rode motorcycles often and visited 48 states on motorcycle. In 2002 at 77 he and a friend rode 11,000 miles on motorcycles to Alaska. He was a handy man and could fix anything and was known to design and build tools to meet the job. He loved woodworking.

    His life moto was “I always try to give more than I take,” He was a fun loving man, with a positive attitude and lived life to the fullest.

    He is survived by two daughters Jessica Meier and her husband Ron, of Villages, FL and Jennifer Bistline of Carlisle; four granddaughters who loved him dearly Cholena Norrell of AK, Joelle Vance, SC, Tashina Huber, and Sarah Huber of WA; four great grandchildren Isabella Vance, Olivia Vance, Leo Vance, and Owen Langdon.

He was preceded in death by his son Bruce G. Bistline III, and two sisters Doris Bowers, and Brynece Gibney.

    A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday January 25, 2020 at 11 AM in the Middlesex United Methodist Church 118 N. Middlesex Rd. Carlisle, PA with Pastor Rachel Won officiating.

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