Ricky Daniel Bruce, 47, passed from this life on September 1, 2025 at his home in Antlers. He was born on October 17, 1977 to Ricky Lynn Bruce and Lu Vondale (Joslin) Erwin. 

 Ricky had a passion for operating heavy equipment. He began his young operating career working for his soon to be stepfather Bill Erwin at the Kiamichi Ranch in Finley. There he ran most equipment building roads and creating firelines.  He also got to help with the wildlife management. When big money called, he moved to Texas to run a sludge pit for TXI.  Later, he perfected his craft by building golf courses.  After several years, he moved to Wilburton to be closer to his sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew and worked with Bill at TAW running a dozer building well-pad locations. 

When the company, Mi-Swaco, that his dad managed moved to Wilburton, Ricky moved from dozerwork to helping his dad and Charles move and mix mud. There they managed the mud plant mixing mud and sending it to drilling rigs.  It was not operating heavy equipment, but he enjoyed working with his dad and Charles.  

When the oilfield played out, he managed the big bucks for a hunting ranch. He loved to watch the deer grow and talked about their antics all of the time. 

A few years later, Ricky moved home where he once again got to operate equipment. He helped clear land, plant bermuda grass, and bale hay. He could spend hours and hours operating equipment. He spent every summer for the last few summers baling hay with his nephew Liam riding shotgun.  He loved sitting at the kitchen table teaching young Liam what each piece of equipment was in their equipment book and practicing how to use them with Liam's toys. 

He loved heavy equipment, but he was just as passionate about fishing and sharing that passion with others.  When living at Wilburton, he introduced his late nephew, JT, to big water taking him on his boat to Sardis.  He always made sure JT had plenty of poles and tackle. He also loved a good boat and could talk for hours about what a good boat is.  

Ricky was the grillmaster of the family.  If there was a big function, he was always trying out new sauces and seasonings on different smoked and grilled meats.  He could feed a group of 40 plus people with ease and everyone would leave overfull because they always came back for seconds. There wasn't a spice that was too hot for him.  

He also loved his dog Kate. 

He was preceded in death by his grandfather: Harvey D. Joslin; grandparents: Grover Bruce and Mamie Bruce; step-mother: Tammy Bruce; nephew: JT Hollingback; and uncles: Alford Bruce and Don Collins. 

Ricky is survived by his father: Ricky L. Bruce; mother: Lu Vondale Erwin and husband Bill Erwin; brother: Jessie Shrader and wife Tina; sisters: Virginia Hollingback and husband Jerald, Sheree Shrader, and Miranda Rice and husband Troy; grandmother: Patricia Joslin; niece: Kaycee Hollingback and Wyatt Kilgore; nephews: Liam Shrader, Levi Tanner Shrader, Tatum Conley, and Tyler Conley; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, family and friends.  

A family night will be held at Serenity Funeral Service on Thursday, September 4, 2025 from 6-8PM. Funeral services will take place at the Hall Freewill Baptist Church at 1PM on Friday, September 5, 2025 with Wes Haddox officiating. Pallbearers include: Rodney Taylor, Daylon Henderson, Charles Sanders, Caleb Gibson, Cameron Payne, and Conner Herman. Honorary pallbearers are: Chris Joslin, Stuart Joslin, and Jared Snow. 

Services are under the direction of Serenity Funeral Service of Antlers.