Bruce J. Longballa

Bruce J. Longballa passed away in his sleep the morning of Sept. 30, 2021.

He was born a leap year baby on Feb. 29, 1932, in Seattle, Washington.

Bruce attended grade school in Spokane, Washington, then high school in Bend, Oregon. He went on to Lewis and Clark College in Portland, where he met the love of his life, Kathleen Craig. They were married a year before his graduation from Lewis and Clark in 1954. Bruce was an outstanding quarterback for Lewis and Clark and led the team to an undefeated season in 1950. He was inducted into the Lewis and Clark sports hall of fame in 1993.

Bruce worked management for JC Penney in Portland and San Francisco before moving to Reno in 1961.

Always involved in sports, Bruce coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball and Pop Warner football. To the numerous youth on his teams he was always know as “Coach.” To Bruce, pretty much everyone else was known as “Tige.”

His later years were split between Reno and Graeagle, where he was known as “Hammer” as the starter at Whitehawk Golf Course in Clio.

He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Kay; sons Phil (Meg), and Ken (Jody) and daughter LuAnn (Piet), along with five grandkids and three great-grandkids.

A celebration of life will be held in the future.