Bruce Lynn Schipper, 78, of Troy, Alabama, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 21, 2026, in Troy. He was born on November 8, 1947, in Mitchell, South Dakota, to E.R. “Skip” Schipper and Alice Mae Schipper. Bruce grew up in South Dakota and spent most of his adult life in Ripley, Mississippi, before retiring to Troy, Alabama.
Bruce was a man who loved his family deeply and spent his life showing that love in the ways that mattered most. He was married to his beloved wife, Pamela Darlene King Schipper, for 54 years. Together, they built a family and a life filled with love, hard work, laughter, stories, and memories that will be treasured for generations.
Bruce was the proud father of Kendra Harden and her husband, Dale; Brian Schipper and his wife, Shannon; and Kevin Schipper and his wife, Katie. He was a loving grandfather to Apryl, Andrew, Angel, Josh, Lauren, Haley, Tyler, and Charlotte, and a proud great-grandfather to Liam, Skylar, Sadie, Huntyr, Wylder, Luna, Elio, Leon, Elijah, Selena, Adelynn, Caleb, and Ashton.
He is also survived by his siblings, Pam (Richard), Spencer (Ava), Becky (Tom), Mary (Kirk), John (Tina), and Charles (Maria).
Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, E.R. “Skip” Schipper and Alice Mae Schipper; his brother, Pat Schipper; and his brothers-in-law, Rodger King, Gary King, and Michael King.
For more than 20 years, Bruce worked as a Design Engineer for Thyssenkrupp Elevator. He was a hard-working man who took pride in providing for his family. He also proudly served more than 24 years in the United States military, serving in both the United States Marine Corps and the Mississippi Army National Guard. His military service was a deeply important part of his life, and he carried that pride with him wherever he went.
Bruce had a gift for making friends wherever he was. He truly never met a stranger. If he saw someone wearing a hat, shirt, or other clothing that identified them as current or retired military, there was a good chance a conversation would soon follow, often times considerably longer than anyone expected. And if that person was a Marine, they could almost certainly expect to hear a proud “Semper Fi.”
But perhaps the greatest thing about Bruce was the way he loved his family.
He was kind and generous, and he would willingly do without if it meant making sure his wife, children, grandchildren, or anyone he loved had what they needed. He didn’t always have to say “I love you” because he had a thousand ways of showing it.
One of those ways was through his baking.
Bruce loved baking cakes, and over the years he baked countless birthday and wedding cakes for family members. Those cakes became more than desserts. They became memories—something made with his own hands and given with his whole heart. Long after the last slice was eaten, the love behind those cakes remained.
Bruce also loved to read, especially the books of Louis L’Amour, and he enjoyed watching movies, particularly John Wayne and James Bond. And, of course, Bruce loved to tell stories.
Sometimes he told the same story more than once.
Often times the family knew exactly where the story was going before he got there and they probably could have even told it for him.
But those stories were Bruce. They were part of the rhythm of family life, and someday, those same stories will be told again—this time by the people who learned them from him.
Bruce leaves behind much more than memories. He leaves behind pieces of himself in the people he loved: in his children’s lives, in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in the family traditions he helped create, in the stories that will continue to be told, and in the simple acts of kindness and generosity that his family will remember.
He leaves behind 54 years of marriage, three children, eight grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, siblings who loved him, countless friends, and a lifetime of people whose lives were touched by his.
Most of all, Bruce leaves behind a family who knew, without a doubt, that he would do anything he could to take care of them.
He was a husband.
A father.
A grandfather.
A great-grandfather.
A brother.
A Marine.
A soldier.
A storyteller.
A baker.
A provider.
A friend.
And to the people who loved him most, he was simply Dad, Papa, and Bruce.
He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever carried in the hearts of the family he loved so well. Semper Fi Bruce, you completed your watch. We can take over from here.
Memorial Service
A memorial service celebrating Bruce’s life will be held at Trinity Assembly of God in Ripley, Mississippi, on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.
Family and friends are invited to come together to celebrate Bruce, share memories, tell a few stories, and honor a life that meant so much to so many.
