Bruce Stuart Elting
Born on March 18, 1951 in Seattle, WashingtonPassed February 7, 2025, in Melbourne, Florida
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Bruce Stuart Elting, 73, who left us on February 7, 2025, in Melbourne, Florida. Bruce was born in Seattle, Washington, on March 18, 1951, to Pete and Catherine Elting, both of whom preceded him in death.
Bruce is survived by the love of his life, his wife Diana Mae Elting; his three children Amanda Louise, Daniel Stuart, and Ashley Marie; stepchildren Erika Lynn and Jody Francis and his adored grandchildren Leila, Jayna, Levi, Aidan, Hailey, Payton, and Nathan.
He was deeply loved by his family and close-knit group of lifelong friends, affectionately known as “the geezers,” whom he visited regularly during his trips back to the Pacific Northwest. He also cherished his many workmates, with whom he built lasting friendships that carried on long into his retirement.
For the last 20 years of his life, Bruce made his home on the Space Coast of Florida. He spent his mornings enjoying walks, often taking in the awesome sight of rocket launches. He and Diana embraced the joy of retirement, traveling across the United States multiple times in their RV, hiking, kayaking, and exploring new places together. Bruce’s love for life was also reflected in his love for sports – especially baseball. He was a lifelong Seattle Mariners season ticket holder and a dedicated coach in Little League for many years. After moving to Florida, Bruce took every opportunity to attend spring training games, continuing his passion for the sport.
Bruce’s passion for the Seattle Seahawks was another cornerstone of his life. He and Diana often hosted Sunday game days for family and friends, where Bruce would prepare his famous Seattle-style teriyaki, a family favorite perfected during his time owning S-Curves restaurant in Melbourne, Florida. His love for his team was only rivaled by his pride in his work.
He retired after 30 years at Boeing in Everett, Washington, where he made significant contributions as a drafter and engineer. A specialist in payloads and customer engineering, Bruce was awarded several honors and inventor patents throughout his career, traveling all over the world in service to his skills. He was a man of deep knowledge, known not only for his technical knowledge, but also for his love of trivia and his ability to recall a vast array of facts, from the useful to the utterly random.
Bruce also had a passion for gaming, spending hours coaching his youngest grandson on computer games. He enjoyed listening to a wide variety of music, including Taj Mahal, Dave Matthews Band, and everything in between. Music was a constant companion to him, preferred over the noise of TV.
Bruce was a man who believed in fairness and equality for all. He didn’t shy away from expressing his views and has been known to wave a flag or hold a sign at local rallies.
Bruce’s legacy of love, laughter, and knowledge will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
