Marcella Bruce

Former Hillsboro business owner Marcella Frances Martin Bruce, 93, died March 23 at South Wind Hospice Home, Pratt.

Born Aug. 12, 1916, in Pino Grande, Calif., to Wallace Perry and Ida Camille (Tripp) Martin, she was a member of Hillsboro United Methodist Church.

She married Kenneth Baird “Bud” Bruce June 28, 1941, at Clovis, N.M.

Bud and Marcella purchased the Marquette Tribune from Bud’s parents in 1946. They owned the Hillsboro Star-Journal newspaper from 1954 until they semiretired from the newspaper business in 1976. They sold the newspaper in 1988.

Bud died in 1999.

A grandson, Kenneth M. Bruce II, also preceded her.

Survivors include a son, Skip of Pratt; a daughter, Marcia Wiederstein of Angel Fire, N.M.; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services were Friday afternoon at Hillsboro United Methodist Church, Hillsboro, with the Rev. Charles Grant officiating.

There was a private burial.

Memorial funds have been established with the church, Kansas Press Association, and South Wind Hospice.