Kenneth Bruce MacPhee
June 20, 1930 - September 1, 2017
Always an adventurer, from a young age, Bruce was exploring the wilderness throughout the western states and beyond. Working dude ranches in the Sierra’s as a young teenager to shipping out as a deckhand on Standard Oil Tankers, Bruce had an unquenchable curiosity. He was raised in San Francisco by his father, Donald Joseph MacPhee and his mother, Doris Mae MacPhee, a remarkable woman who was kind, intelligent, responsible and an adventurer in her own right. Together they took on life’s challenges, standing by one another in celebration and loss.
He married Ila Burkhead in 1965 and together they continued to explore the hidden beauties of the west coast. Avid backpackers, they began white water rafting long before it became a commercial venture. Setting out in army surplus four-man rafts they tackled rivers in Oregon, Idaho and California. Many harrowing memories were made, most had some degree of bravery combined with a sprinkling of foolishness. They lived to tell the tales and always set out on another adventure. To everyone’s chagrin, Bruce would often explore unmarked dirt roads. Driving the company car sedan, he would navigate the deep ruts, creeks, fallen branches or large rocks to find a wide spot on the road to camp next to a creek or river. Sometimes he had to free the stuck car, once having to have a tow truck winch the car up a steep incline. Always an adventure.
He was a committed father, he provided a solid foundation for his three sons, Donald, Robert and Ross, in which to thrive. Monday through Thursday, dinner was the time for discussing current events, review daily happenings and debate some esoteric fine point. Often lasting two hours or more, it was a special time for the family to bond. Weekends were reserved for road trips and adventures.
As he entered the last phase of his life he often related how proud he was of his sons. That wasn’t always the case. There were many, too many times when Bruce and Ila came home from a night out to find a broken window, a door off its hinges, a whole in a wall or a heated argument. Bruce navigated all of this with a sense of humor combined with an appropriate amount of displeasure.
Bruce had many amazing traits but above all others was his commitment to honesty and kindness. He built a successful business on a foundation of trust and friendship, keeping his word and his commitments. He had a deep sense of right, wrong and fairness, of which he would not compromise.
Always a competitor, Bruce played semi-pro baseball when his family was young. Once all the kids were adults, he turned his focus to sailing, a competitive skipper in the Santana 22 fleet. Frequently placing in the top three in both the Santana Nationals and the San Francisco one-design fleet, he was respected for his calm and grace under competitive pressures.
In 1973, Bruce and Ila moved to Mill Valley. They had unencumbered views of Richardson Bay and Mt. Tamalpais from their newly built “treehouse”. Nestled just on the outskirts of the Golden Gate Recreational Area, Bruce and Ila climbed all the hills and pathways leading to the Pacific Ocean, learning and admiring all of the local flora and fauna. The deck outside of the family room was a constant source of entertainment with a variety of birds, squirrels, foxes and whatever else could climb the overhanging oak. For years, their house was the family gather place for holidays, birthdays and weddings.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches and weighing about 150 pounds, he cut a lean figure. With an easy smile and a good sense of humor, Bruce made others feel at ease. Generous and welcoming, his sons frequently brought home friends and significant others which was encouraged and created a sense of pride. He was always available to help or participate when asked, often making the long trek on weekends to watch his grandchildren’s sporting events; Michele, Ryan, Ian, Sean, Travis, Austin and Callen all had the benefit of their grandfather routing for them. In later life he never missed a family gathering including his great grandchildren’s, Jackson and Colin’s birthdays.
In his final days, he would say that he “couldn’t be happier”. While reserved with his emotions, he made sure that Ila felt loved. He would look at her with loving eyes and sent occasional kisses her way. He left this life content and happy. He will forever live in the memories, values and intellectual curiosity of his wife, children, grandchildren and future generations. A special person with a life well lived.