Trusten "Bruce" Wadsworth

Trusten Bruce Wadsworth, 91 years, 10 months and 19 days old, left this mortal existence on January 9, 2019 after a long and well-lived life. Bruce was a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who loved his family with all his heart.

Bruce was born in Red Bluff, CA and lived in Modesto for most of his early years through college. He loved astronomy, running track, mountain climbing and skiing, both downhill and cross country. He was adventurous in so many ways all through his life. Some would say he was quite the risk taker. Oh the stories he would tell! Bruce joined the Navy at the end of World War II, and was a Radarman First Class on the Navy ship LCI 451. He loved his country and was one of the most patriotic men that ever lived.

In 1950, after he completed college, he met, fell in love with, and married his sweetheart Dorothy, a devoted marriage that lasted 68 years. To their union was born four children: Carol, Vicki, Debbie and Jeff. In 1957, Bruce homesteaded on the Georgetown Divide, moving the family there and building a legacy for the next 62 years. He took the property from scotch broom and manzanita and transformed it to the magical forested Christmas Tree Farm, Cool Forest. They lived in the big red house from 1957 to the present day except for a brief time when they moved to Mokelumne Hill to manage a much bigger Christmas tree farm before returning to Cool Forest.

Bruce started his life’s work using his UC Davis degree in Animal Husbandry as a ranch hand on a couple of cattle ranches in the Sacramento Valley where he also ran his own small herd of cattle. He then got a job working for Campbells Soup and worked with the tomato growers in the area. After moving to the Georgetown area, he changed his focus and started doing what he really loved, which was working in the trees as a Forester for the rest of his life.

Bruce was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was the first Branch President of the Georgetown Branch and was instrumental in initiating building of the Georgetown meetinghouse. Bruce also served as Bishop when the area was formed into a ward. He held many other leadership and teaching callings, throwing himself into each of them with dedication. Bruce served as a temple ordinance worker with Dorothy for 15 years in the Oakland Temple and for a short time after the Sacramento Temple was opened. He loved his time in the temple and all his church activities, blessing many people with his service.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Mabel Wadsworth Landquist and William Edward Wadsworth, and his brothers Monte and Jim. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, his daughters Carol Dulany (Danny), Vicki Hurst (Bill), Debbie Wadsworth Maderios (Steve), and Jeff Wadsworth (Francheska), 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, the youngest one being born just 24 hours after his passing.

Funeral services will be held Monday, January 14th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Georgetown Meeting house, 7280 Prospect Hill Dr, Georgetown, CA. Viewing at 10am, Service at 11am. Interment to follow at the Georgetown Cemetery.