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"He dreamt the impossible dream, he fought the unbeatable foe."
Jimmy Rogers Bruce, 82, passed away on November 12, 2026.
Jimmy was born on September 5, 1944, in Amarillo, Texas, to Mary Mae Gray and Joe Rogers Bruce. His father, Staff Sgt. Joe Bruce, served in World War II and was killed in France in December 1944, when Jimmy was still an infant. In 1946, Mary married Thomas W. Grenfell of Schaefer, Michigan, whom she had met while he was stationed in Amarillo. Jimmy's younger brother, Thomas Grenfell Jr., was born in 1948, and the family moved to Escanaba in 1956.
Jimmy's Texas accent got him teased in middle school, especially when he answered his teachers with a polite "Yes, ma'am" or "No, ma'am." He found a lifelong friend in Joe Hebert. The two played baseball together and made it all the way to the 1957 Little League World Series, where they lost to a team from Mexico. Jimmy's parents owned and operated the Sports Bowl Fountain and Pool Hall on Ludington Street for many years. That was where he learned his way around a pool table, becoming one of the best shots in town and going on to win many trophies at Club 314.
In seventh grade, Jimmy's locker was next to Sally Hansen's. He gave her a small jewelry box that she still cherishes. Their friendship grew into love, and they got engaged after high school in 1962. They married in 1965, and their wedding was featured in the Escanaba Daily Press. Ron Kivi and Joe Hebert stood with Jimmy as groomsmen and remained his friends for life.
Jimmy studied physical education and English at Northern Michigan University and earned his master's degree in 1967. He and Sally returned to Escanaba, where they built a home and started their family. Christopher Rogers was born in 1969, and Tony Rogers followed in 1978.
Jimmy spent his high school and college summers working at the U.P. State Fair. He started out shoveling horse manure and worked his way up to helping with grandstand entertainment, where he met Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee, and "Lonesome George" Gobel, among others. He never tired of telling stories about what went on in the fair's Pine Room.
Jimmy became one of Michigan's first Head Start directors through the Community Action Agency. He also worked at UPCAP, founded Count II Consulting, and served as manager of Baybank's Escanaba branch.
For years, Jimmy played fastpitch softball with the Escanaba Merchants, competing across Michigan and making friends along the way. Chris was the team's batboy. Jimmy taught him to play baseball and coached his teams through high school. Jimmy's close friend and mentor, Robert "Bo" Olsen, shared his love of the game and helped organize baseball events.
When his friend Dick Hansen encouraged him to audition for Players de Noc, Jimmy landed the role of Patrick in Mame on his very first try. He was hooked. The stage became a lifelong love and brought him some of his closest friends. He played John Adams in 1776during the nation's bicentennial, Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Che in Evita, and Willy Wonka in Charlie and
the Chocolate Factory. His other credits included The Music Man, A Midsummer Night's Dream, I Do! I Do!, South Pacific, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, The Full Monty, Into the Woods, The Secret Garden, and The Winter's Tale. Players de Noc honored Jimmy with a plaque at its 50th anniversary, and he led its award-winning Lawn Chair Brigade for 15 years.
Jimmy also sang with the Bright Spots, a five-member group that performed across Michigan, including at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and in the showroom at the Island Casino. He loved to cook, too. He and Sally belonged to a Gourmet Club with friends from Players de Noc. They would choose a country and cook a five-course meal inspired by it.
Jimmy served on the Mental Health Board and UPCAP's Advisory Board. Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed him to the Michigan Commission on Aging. He and Sally volunteered with AARP Michigan for 25 years, including six years on its Executive Council. Together, they organized educational and social events across the Upper Peninsula, and both received Michigan AARP Shining Star Awards. Jimmy was also named Elk of the Year.
In 2017, after a career that took him from public service to running his own business, Jimmy and Sally began spending their winters in Florida. There they found a circle of friends from Escanaba who also spent the winters there. They grew especially close to Matt and Diane Aman and Gunter and Judy Wise.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Sally, his sons, Christopher Rogers of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Tony Rogers of Mount Shasta, California, and his grandchildren, Owen Rogers and Kenna Robertson Bruce. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Thomas.
Family and friends will gather to celebrate Jimmy's "Life Well Lived" on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Crawford Funeral Home, 302 S. 13th St., Escanaba. The gathering will begin at 2:30 p.m., followed by an Elks memorial service at 4:15 p.m. and the funeral service at 4:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to the Players de Noc Building Fire Damage Fund in Jimmy's memory.
A message of condolence may be directed to the family by visiting www.crawfordfuneralhomes.net. The arrangements are in the care of the Crawford Funeral Homes.
