Colonel Bruce Norman Kreider

Bruce Norman Kreider, 92, died peacefully at Davis Hospice in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on August 31, 2026. In a poetic coincidence, it was Bruce and Mary Ann’s 69th wedding anniversary.

Bruce was born on August 21, 1934, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Norman and Florence Kreider. He spoke fondly of growing up and working on the family’s dairy farm and five-acre glass greenhouse.

He was a devoted husband to his wife, Mary Ann, and a loving father to Kathleen (late husband Tom Jacobson) and his late son, Keith (wife Amy). He was a proud grandpa to Theresa, Andy (Alero), Erica (Mike), Katie (Kenneth), Kirsten, Annaliese (Christian), and Jake (Katie), and a great-grandpa to nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Tyndall.

Bruce attended the prestigious Franklin & Marshall College, founded in 1787 with the support of Benjamin Franklin, and later earned his master’s degree from the University of Colorado.

Bruce dedicated 30 years to serving his country as a Colonel in the United States Air Force. Throughout his distinguished career, he earned numerous military honors. He completed extensive training in B-52 combat crew operations, navigation, electronic warfare, missile operations, survival, and national security management.

His military career took the family around the world. They moved 25 times and lived in several states, as well as England, Thailand, and Korea. Bruce often reminisced about flying aboard B-52s loaded with nuclear weapons and circling the Earth over Russia during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as the reconnaissance missions he navigated over Vietnam during the war. He was a hero.

His commitment to service continued in his community. He served as Military Chairman for Cheyenne Frontier Days and was a Heel.

Beyond his accomplishments, Bruce will be remembered most for the person he was. He was intelligent, precise, independent, and unapologetically himself. Bruce had a love for all creatures. He found joy in fishing from his boat, hunting, gardening, and reading. He could be strong-willed and rough around the edges, but beneath that was a heart that cared deeply for the creatures and people he loved.

As a grandpa, his grandchildren knew his tenderness. Some of their most treasured memories were made on the porch in South Carolina, with Grandpa at the grill or smoker, feeding those he loved. There was always a story, a little teasing, and often one of his famous gin and tonics. We will miss seeing him in his chair, hearing his opinions, and knowing he was always there for us.

Bruce will forever be loved and carried in the hearts of his family. His life was uniquely his, and we were blessed to be a part of it.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; his daughter, Kathleen; his seven grandchildren; and his nine great-grandchildren.

A funeral Mass celebrating Bruce’s life, with military honors, will be held at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on September 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A reception will follow in Hartmann Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne or the Cheyenne Animal Shelter.