Bruce Owen Trager, 61, of Jonesborough, TN, passed away after an extended illness on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville.
Bruce was born in Arcadia, CA and spent his formative years in Saugus, CA. Bruce was very athletic and loved the outdoors which most likely began with hundreds of childhood trips to his family’s ranch off of See Canyon in San Luis Obispo. He loved to camp, travel and was an avid extreme skier, spending winters skiing every chance he could at his favorite resort, Kirkwood, near Lake Tahoe, where he lived for several years. Everyone who knew him was aware that Bruce was a faithful fan of the Miami Dolphins who he loyally followed since the 1970s. He was an animal lover and the best possible doggie daddy to his beloved pets Lola, Stoney, Sam and Max. The ocean was a sacred place to Bruce and he felt an affinity with dolphins. Bruce loved music and he met his love, Sharon, when they both worked for rock radio KLOS/Los Angeles in their early 20’s. They married in 1993 and lived the majority of their time in North Hollywood, CA and their cabin in Big Bear Lake, CA before relocating to Tennessee in 2016. He loved to barbecue and cook, often taking the helm at family gatherings. As a pastime, Bruce also wrote poetry.
Bruce never met a stranger and found joy in helping others. He was a creative problem solver and loved building things with his hands. He was extremely acute at working with numbers and loved a good challenge.
Bruce had a passion for protecting the resources of our planet for future generations and at one point, ran the Los Angeles office of the Greenpeace organization. He also worked for Sports Chalet, Nederlander Concerts and Rock the Vote all in Southern California.
It was Bruce’s wish to be an organ/tissue donor upon his death. This wish was realized when Donor Services of Tennessee accepted several tissue samples to assign to waiting recipients.
Bruce was a kind and gentle soul who was dedicated to family. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Geraldine (Wright) Trager, special nephew Tom McDonald, sister-in-law Sheila Trager, brother-in-law Joe Butler and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins. Bruce leaves behind soulmate Sharon Trager of Jonesborough, TN, sister Georgia Butler of Fargo, ND, sister Vickie McDonald (Ken McDonald) of Yucaipa, CA, brother Glenn Trager (Mara Lansdown Trager) of Pasadena, CA, sister-in-law Dianna Fratello of Jonesborough, TN and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A Celebration of Life is being planned during the month of September 2025 at a location to be determined in San Luis Obispo, CA.
A special thank you is given to Dr. Andrew Russ, his team, and the 11 East nurses and staff at UT Medical Center who competently and compassionately cared for him in his final days.
Sharon my condolences go out to you and Bruce's family. May you have peace in your heart. Its a long road ahead of you but you will make thru all this much stronger.
05/20/2025
Timothy Jay Ingersoll
To say my friend Bruce changed my life as an understatement. Let me start from the beginning. I met Bruce when I just left a small town in Indiana to chase my dream of becoming an animator.
Bruce is one of the first friends I made in California. I didn't know a soul. He was my boss at Carl's Jr restaurant. We became fast Friends. We would go to Zuma Beach and play Frisbee in the beautiful beaches. And then take a journey to the mountains and go skiing for the day or weekend.
It was really a magical time. Bruce love music so much. And his dogs. Oh how you love dogs.
He introduced me to so many good things in life. One was to become my wife. Bruce was actually dating Paula at the time. But they broke up and he was completely happy to let me date her. Not long after he was best man at my wedding. I have Bruce to thank for my two beautiful children Melanie and Dylan.
I too was Bruce's best man at his wedding to beautiful Sharon shortly afterwards. I drew a caricature of the two of them as a wedding gift. It was one of the best drawings I could ever create. It was a heartwarming fun-filled wedding that I should never forget.
I remember visiting Bruce up in lake Tahoe where he moved for a while. We would ski night and day. Oh what A wonderful Life.
And then he met Sharon who really was the best thing that could have happened to him. And the love of his life.I'm so glad they had so many good years together.
Whether we were playing basketball, thinking of ways to get rich. Going to strawberry Hill having some cocktails with our friends. Kimmy and Joe and others.
He introduced me to Joe as well, who became one of my best friends in the world.
Yes Bruce definitely altered my universe in a very fulfilling way. I hope he's smiling down at me now, with his Miami dolphins jersey on.
I could go on and on about different stories and different events that have shaped me. But there's just not enough words that can express my deepest sadness that one of my best friends is no longer with us.
You will be missed Bruce Owen Trager. God bless and rest in peace buddy. I miss you.
