Private family services for Bruce Anthony Mensie, 69, Lawrence, will take place at a later date.
Bruce Mensie, 69, died Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at home from cancer.
He was born January 11, 1951 in Independence, Missouri, the son of Vern and Jean (Reiss) Mensie. He graduated from Rockhurst High School and a lacked about 4 hours from graduating from the Journalism school at KU. He worked as a transmitter engineer for KANU while in school, an electronics repairman, a mechanic, a bus driver, a market gardener and again a broadcast engineer for KPR and Audio Reader. He found great joy canoeing with his Girl Scout troop and learning to fly airplanes.
He leaves his wife, Mary Jo of the home; brother, Jon of Leawood; and best friend, A. K. Bailey of western Douglas county.
Memorial contributions may be made to Audio Reader, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street Lawrence, KS 66044.
Always enjoyed seeing him and talking and hanging out at the transmitter fixing equipment. I’ll miss seeing him out there.
What a great and loyal friend. To me he was like a big brother. Always there to help. We spent countless hours on the road together as we traveled to tower sites for KPR and Audio-Reader. He was an early riser and would often have traveled half the state and back again before the day was out. Often he would complete a project before I finished thinking about it. He knew much about many things. Even when we disagreed, he usually turned out to be correct! When I learned of the cancer diagnosis and prognosis, I hoped he would be wrong, but again he turned out to be right. He gave more than received. I will miss him.
Bruce was a jack of all trades, a hard worker, a loyal friend, and lover of cats. I feel fortunate to call him my friend. Bruce helped me hang a tire swing, move a cast iron stove, fix my Jeep numerous times, pull me out when I was stuck in ice/snow, and many other favors over the last 12 years. He was the biggest advocate for Audio-Reader and its listeners and continued to volunteer his time for KPR and Audio-Reader even after retirement. I am sad we won’t have lunch together again. I miss him already!
So sorry to hear this news. Bruce and I worked a lot of weird hours together — well, separately, but at the same time — on and off, for more than 20 years. It was always good to see him, wearing his primary colors of black & black. Like other unsung heroes in the engineering department, he tinkered with transmitters and fixed a lot of broken broadcast equipment for Audio-Reader and Kansas Public Radio. For decades and decades. Bruce was a worker bee – the man who quietly shoveled snow out of a satellite dish in the dark of night and in the dead of winter… the guy who tested our generators in the spring… and hung up holiday lights and birthday banners on the outside of Audio-Reader. Listeners rarely if ever heard his name on the air, but he was always there… working behind the scenes… making sure all the broadcasts would be able to run on time. I know because I often saw him there at O-Dark-Thirty, working hard to make something work right. On behalf of all those listeners who unknowingly benefited from his hard work, dedication and expertise, let me say just Thank You, Bruce. And rest in peace.
A great guy!
Audio-Reader, the radio reading service for the blind, had no greater advocate than Bruce. He worked tirelessly for the service for years.
He was a radio engineer, a pilot, a gardener, could build anything, drive anything and boy, did he love his bucket truck. He was a hard worker, a problem solver, stubborn, independent and if you were his friend, you had a friend for life. Rest well, Bruce, you earned it. Jo, you have my deepest condolences. Take care.
He was one of a kind. I will miss him.