Bruce E. Sankey

Bruce E. Sankey, 88, of Garner, passed away Saturday, December 16, 2023, at Westview Care Center in Britt.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, December 21, 2023, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Rev. Fr. Andrew Marr officiating. Burial will be at Concord Township Cemetery with military rites by the Garner Veterans Ceremonial Unit.

To view his service on our YouTube channel please click the following link:  https://youtu.be/2XzSKrMonzk

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, December 20^th at Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4^th St., Garner with a Scriptural wake service at 3:30 p.m.  Visitation will continue one hour before services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the Garner VFW Post 5515 in memory of Bruce.

Bruce Edward Sankey, the son of Delbert and Virginia (Lowman) Sankey, was born December 4, 1935, in Iowa City. He grew up on a farm east of Garner and attended school at Ventura until the 8^th grade. Later in life, he would tell family and friends he graduated from Sankey University. Bruce served his country in the U.S Army from December 1954 until his honorable discharge in November 1957. During his time in the Army, he was a paratrooper recording 27 jumps. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Garner and bought a truck hauling livestock for his father’s business, Sankey Trucking. On September 27, 1958, he married Elizabeth “Betty” Frank at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mason City. They built a home on the southeast side of Garner where they raised their family. Bruce worked for Stockberger Trucking in Mason City and then Waterloo Service, where he retired at 62. In his retirement, he drove a truck for his son-in-law, Mike Rollefson at GRP Associates in Clear Lake. Bruce enjoyed hunting, fishing, and bowling.

He was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church and was very active in the Garner VFW Post 5515 serving as past commander.

Bruce is survived by his son, Rick (Denise) Sankey of Garner; daughter, Becky (Mike) Rollefson of Clear Lake; special friend, Jane Graham of Garner; seven grandchildren, Colton (Kristen) Sankey and their two children, Keegan and Kennady, Amber (Mitchell) Gleason and their three children, Jocelyn, Sullivan and Blair, Dustin (Amanda) Brown and their son, Ryker, Logan Brown and his son, Kinzer, Spencer (Christina) Rollefson and their son, Spencer, Jr., Sara Jo Sankey and her two children, Blaze and Jemma and Zachary Sankey and his two daughters, Natalie and Taylor;  three sisters-in-law, Marie Sankey, Rose Portis, Rose Frank all of Mason City; one brother in law Ed Frank of Mason City, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty in 2007; son, Delbert in 2016; and brother, Eugene Sankey.