Bruce Rockne Holbrook, 1932-2019

Bruce Rockne Holbrook, 87, of Dayton passed  away peacefully on Oct. 10 in Houston. Bruce was born March 5, 1932 in Dayton to parents, Aaron Chester Holbrook and Ellen Nelson Holbrook.

Services for Mr. Holbrook will be 3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the First Baptist Church in Dayton with Rev. Randy Piatt and Rev. George Ohmstede officiating. Interment will follow at Magnolia Park Cemetery in Dayton. The family will receive friends 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening at Pace-Stancil Funeral Home.

Bruce was a lifelong resident of Dayton. He attended Dayton schools, was very active in FFA and graduated from Dayton High School in 1949. He was a proud member of the 1949 Championship Broncho football team. Bruce was a champion bull rider and then a pick up man. He was a horse jockey in his younger years and he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Bruce grew up a part of a very large rice farming family, he spent his life farming, being a cattle rancher, loving husband, devoted father and wonderful grandfather. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the American Rice Growers, Dayton Volunteer Fire Department and a former Dayton City Councilman.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, A.C. Holbrook Jr., Evelyn Holbrook Waldrop, John David Holbrook and Juanita Holbrook Rizzo. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty Wells Holbrook of Dayton; his children, Bruce Lane Holbrook of Houston, Dana Holbrook Holt and husband Arthur of Dayton, and Regina Holbrook Van Etta and husband Mark of Liberty; his grandchildren, Sara Holt Williams and husband Jerry; Ashley Holt Guillory and husband Philip, Kimberly Van Etta, Wes Van Etta, and Ellie Van Etta; his great-grandchildren, Jake Williams, Ellis Guillory and Brooke Guillory; his brother, Virgil “Buddy” Holbrook and wife Linda of Dayton; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.

Pace-Stancil Funeral Home, 1304 N.Cleveland, Dayton, TX 77535 Ofc: 936-258-5300 Fax: 936-258-5653 www.pacestancil.com.