Bruce Norman Bastian

The family of Bruce N. Bastian, Sr. of Conroe, TX, is saddened to announce his passing on February 15, 2024, at the age of 95. The eldest of three children, Bruce was born November 16, 1928, in Ottawa Township, IL to Earle Milton Bastian and Florence Marie (Norman) Bastian. After graduating from Dixon High School in 1946, he attended Coe College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and married his first wife, Mary Louise “Molly” Whalen after graduating in 1949. From 1950 - 1957, he served in the U.S Air Force, reaching the rank of Captain while earning a Master of Science degree in Organic Chemistry from University of Minnesota. During his service they were blessed with two children: Janet (Phil) Heagy of Lebanon, PA, and Bruce (Sharon) Bastian, Jr. of Kala Point, WA. After completing his service, he earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of California at Berkley, CA in 1960.

In 1963 he married Ruth Ellen Yeager and was blessed with two more children, Ketria B. (Ken King) Scott of Houston, TX, and Jeff Alan (Becky) Bastian of Nassau Bay, TX. After the untimely death of his third wife, Wilma Hopkins, in 1986, he met and married Miriam “Mimi” Blackburn Howery in 1988 with whom he shared his life until she passed away in 2022. In addition to his four children, Bruce is survived by his sister, Ann B. White of Bloomington, IL, and stepchildren Jeffery B. (Laura) Howery, Colonel (Ret.) Steven B. (Cindy) Howery, and Julia C. Howery. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren, Andrew (Aisling McCarran) Bastian, Benjamin (Emmi) Bastian, Madelyn Bastian, Violet Bastian, Ethan Scott, Lauren (Corey) Schwartz, Christopher (Sheridan) Howery, and Kevin Howery as well as two great grandchildren, Marina Jane and Celeste Carter Bastian.

During his time in the Air Force, Bruce served as a radiological defense officer tracking Soviet nuclear testing during the height of the Cold War and was a participant in the Desert Rock IV exercise in 1952, where an atomic bomb was detonated four miles away from him and several thousand other military personnel – an honor that required he receive regular physicals for the next 30 years. After departing the Air Force to earn his Ph.D., Bruce spent the next 30 years with various divisions of the Shell Oil, Shell Chemical, and Shell Development Companies where he was a research chemist, technical manager, and environmental advisor until retiring in 1991. During his tenure with Shell, he authored 16 featured articles for prestigious scientific and industry journals, holds one chemical process U.S. Patent in his name, and was a co-author on five additional patents. He retired from Shell Oil Company in 1991.

In 1994, he and Mimi retired to Bentwater Community on Lake Conroe, TX where they built their dream home and joined the Bentwater social scene. A certified Master Gardener, Bruce lovingly tended his massive garden that included a vineyard, vegetable patch, Zen Garden, and koi pond that spread across the neighboring lot. As a member of the Montgomery County Master Gardeners Association, he engaged in numerous public service park and open space restorations throughout the Conroe area, to include one featuring a massive acorn & cap sculpture created by his daughter, Ketria. Featuring his fine tenor voice, he and Mimi joined April Sound Church where they spent many years as members of the choir and served on the church board of directors. In 2016, they became founding members of Woodhaven Village where they remained active in the retired community until Bruce passed away peacefully in his sleep from natural causes on February 15, 2024.

Please join Bruce’s family and friends to celebrate his life on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at 1:45 p.m. at Woodhaven Village, 2275 Riverway Drive, Conroe, Texas 77304. Instead of flowers, we invite you to honor Bruce's life, love, and dedication to our shared natural environment.

Please consider making a healing impact by supporting the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that maintains a genetic library allowing it to preserve and restore the world's largest and most iconic tree species. Learn more at: https://www.ancienttreearchive.org/about-us/