Blowers, Bruce Lawrence's Obituary
Obituary for Bruce Blowers
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14 (NIV)
“. . . the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Deuteronomy 30:14 (NIV)
On February 10, 2025 Bruce Blowers passed from this mortal life to eternal life with his Lord. Bruce’s life was an adventure both spiritually and physically as he endeavored to be faithful to a deep calling to make the Bible accessible to people in Papua New Guinea.
Bruce Lawrence Blowers was born in Riga Township, New York to Rev. Ivan and Beulah Blowers, with Merle as older brother, and later, Merna his younger sister. The Ivan Blowers’ were farmers, until Ivan went into the ministry as a Free Methodist pastor.
After a short period of resisting a life of faith, Bruce attended Roberts Wesleyan Junior College, where during his college years he made a total commitment of his life to Christ and his will, and experienced a meaningful infilling of His Holy Spirit. While on National Guard exercises on a Cape Cod beach, Bruce experienced a clear call to missionary work. The promise of Psalm 81:10 assured him that God had gifted him for communicating the Good News.
Bruce added theological education by attending Southern Pilgrim College (North Carolina), taking courses at a Bible School in Florida, and eventually Trevecca Nazarene College. In Florida, while at a prayer meeting of a group calling themselves “Rope Holders” Bruce overheard a young woman (Ruth), recently returned from 2 years in China, praying that God would, "send me to the darkest spot on the face of the earth, the place where no one else wants to go." After a June visit to Ruth’s home in Grants Pass, Oregon, (a courtship that would later seem remarkably brief to all of their children) Bruce proposed and plans were made for a November 7, 1952 wedding in Florida where Ivan and Beulah were pastoring. Of that whirlwind courtship Ruth wrote:
BEFUDDLED
‘I ran up the door; opened the stairs;
Said my pajamas and put on my prayers,
Turned off my bed, tumbled into the light
And all because you kissed me goodnight.’
Bruce and Ruth moved to Papua New Guinea with twin six-month old babies, Darlene and David. (Larry and James were added to the family while in New Guinea.) For 10 years they worked in the Kagol Valley where they grew Christ’s church by translating the Bible and spiritual materials into the local Kagol language. These efforts forced Bruce to realize that he needed specialized training in linguistics and anthropology to accurately render sounds and concepts that had no direct correlation in English. This began a long and profitable interaction with Wycliff Bible Translators and Summer Institute of Linguistics in Melbourne, Australia, which Bruce attended multiple times. He
also completed linguistic coursework at the University of Oklahoma. Bruce translated the Book of Mark and reading primers into Kagol to teach learners how to read their own language.
In 1965, the Blowers joined the work of the Church of the Nazarene and moved to Kudjip where they learned the Wahgi language. Bruce’s first assignment was of a linguistic nature that included providing language and culture lessons for the rest of the missionary staff. Bible translation took place in the after hours where possible. Ruth wrote of this time: “Bruce was never one of those who shunned a job he didn’t feel particularly called of God to do. With the diversity of Nazarene Mission assignments over a period of years - Bible School instructor and principal, mission director, district superintendent - scripture translation had become secondary.”
Bruce requested a two year release from normal duties to give full attention to Bible translation. This was granted so Bruce (and Ruth) resumed a translation started by a Wycliffe couple who had left the task unfinished because of illness. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s Bruce and many collaborators, continued working on the New Testament, which was published and dedicated in 1989.
Retirement, in 1993 eventually took them to Bradenton Missionary Village but both returned to PNG multiple times, including a six month stint in a guest “cottage” focused exclusively on revision of the Wahgi Bible for a third printing. Ruth, passed away in 2010 at the conclusion of the era of return visits to New Guinea.
In October of 2011, Bruce and Carolyn Hannay were married in a ceremony held on the powder white sands of Siesta Key. Carolyn had been a missionary nurse in Papua New Guinea and Haiti so their shared history in missionary work was an important factor in their life together.
Bruce and Carolyn enjoyed their remaining years together at Il Villagio Retirement Community in Bradenton Florida. They took as many opportunities as possible to travel across the country to visit family and friends, cruise the seas and enjoy their years together until Bruce’s mobility made it too difficult to do so. Carolyn lovingly and tirelessly cared for Bruce as his health declined in his later years
What’s your fondest memory of Bruce?
What’s a lesson you learned from Bruce?
Share a story where Bruce's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Bruce you’ll never forget.
How did Bruce make you smile?
