Retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bruce Allan Dinger, 63, of New Bern, North Carolina, passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2023 after he lost his battle to cancer. Bruce was born in Brookville, Pennsylvania on November 25, 1959 to Homer Leroy Dinger and Mabel Joanne Cowan.
He moved to Buffalo, New York as a small child, where he resided until his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps on September 11, 1979. On Sept 14th 1983, He married the love of his life, his best friend, his forever sweetheart Bertha Alicia Dinger in Santa Ana, California.
In September 1988, Sergeant Dinger was selected for both the ranks of Staff Sergeant and Warrant Officer. On 1 February 1989, Sergeant Dinger accepted an appointment to Warrant Officer, was promoted, and then transferred to Marine Corps Command and Development Center Quantico, Virginia where he attended the Warrant Officer Basic Course at the Basic School. Upon graduation from the Basic School in May 1989, Warrant Officer Dinger transferred to Marine Corps Engineer School, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. North Carolina where he attended the Utilities Officer Course. In September 1989, and upon graduating "Top in the Class". In August 1992, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dinger transferred to Okinawa, Japan where he served as the Motor Transport Operations and Maintenance Officer, Utilities Officer, Engineer Officer, and the Communications Electronics Maintenance Officer. In June 1997. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dinger returned and was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina where he served as the Utilities Officer, Engineer Officer, and Executive Officer of the Engineer Department. In August 2002, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dinger transferred to Support Company, 8 Engineer Support Battalion, 2 Force Service Support Group Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he served in the billets of Utilities Platoon Commander and the Operations Officer for the 8th Engineer Support Battalion Detachment, Marine Logistics Command, Camp Fox, Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dinger retired from the United States Marine Corps on March 29, 2004 after a lustrous career, which spans some four decades of honest and faithful service to his country. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dinger's awards include: receiving a meritorious service medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with I Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation with | Bronze Star, Meritorious Unit Citation with 2 Bronze Stars. Good Conduct Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, National Defense Service Medal with I Bronze Star, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with I Silver Star and 2 Bronze Stars, and the Arctic Service Ribbon. In addition, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dinger was selected by the Marine Corps Engineer Association as the United States Marine Corps' "Utilities Officer of the Year for 2003".
After Retiring from the United States Marine Corps in 2004, Bruce went to work as a defense contractor at the Naval Aviation Depot at Cherry Point. He then transitioned over to (NAVSUP) Naval Supply Systems Command. In 2008 he transferred to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for the next 16 years. He supported the CH- 53 echo as an equipment specialist and customer support representative. He also deployed to Al Asad Iraq in support of Fleet Readiness Center East on 3 separate occasions each time for 6 months. Due to his dedicated support DLA awarded him the Superior Civilian Service Award and Medal.
Bruce was a loving husband, father, Papa, son, brother, uncle and friend. Those that knew Bruce knew how dedicated he was to his family and to the Lord. He was a selfless man who never complained. He loved his wife, kids and grandkids dearly, for whom he would do everything he could just to see them happy. Bruce was passionate about teaching his kids, grandkids and anyone who would listen about the Lord. He loved spending time with his family, cooking, baking, fixing things, and most of all he was always down to eat! One thing everyone knows about Bruce is that he could not sit still, he was always on the go and always had to be doing something. For him, down time was still doing something like yard work or working on some project that popped into his mind. Everywhere Bruce went he made an impact on everyone he met. He will be greatly missed and loved by all. May his soul rest in Eternal Peace.
Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 39 years Bertha Alicia Hernandez Dinger, four children; Brandon Dinger (Mary Glenn), Brittany (Phan), Brianna, and Bethany. Grandchildren: Gabriel, Cannon, Grayson, Ayden, Austin, Raleigh, Emma, mother Mabel Joanne Dinger and brothers and sisters: Sharon, Douglas, Carl, Carol, Dennis.
He is predeceased by his father Homer Leroy Dinger.
We would like to give a special thank you to the wonderful nursing staff and doctors at Carolina East, 4th floor oncology who cared for my loving husband, and Papa during his time in the hospital.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating in his honor to The American Cancer Society, https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=honormemorialbutton&giftType=hon&_ga=2.115054848.625937690.1678111873-191987636.1678111872.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Cotten Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 1:00 PM at St. Paul Catholic Church, 3005 Country Club Rd, New Bern, NC 28562. He will be laid to rest with full military honors following the service in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Online condolences can be made to www.cottenfuneralhome.com. Cotten Funeral Home is honored to serve the family and friends of Retired Chief Warrant Officer Bruce Allan Dinger.
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