Bruford Doyle Obituary

Doyle
Bruford "Bruce" Leo
Doyle
May 18, 1935
September 2, 2025

Bruford L. "Bruce" Doyle of Colorado Springs passed away September 2, 2025. Bruce was born on May 18, 1935 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Frank and Lucille (Griffin) Doyle. One of four children, Bruce and his three siblings, James Patrick, Francis William, and Margaret Ann, were reared in a multi-ethnic neighborhood of Hispanic, German, Italian, and Irish families. He attended St. Mary's Catholic School from first grade through high school. Many of those who graduated with Bruce in 1953 remained lifelong friends.

In his senior year of high school, Bruce and a few friends joined the New Mexico National Guard and traveled to summer camp in Wyoming. To avoid KP duty, he attended the University of New Mexico (UNM) to earn 60 hours of college units. He then joined aviation cadets as an Air National Guard student. After 15 months of flight training as a cadet, he was commissioned an officer and received his wings. As an officer with the NM Guard, Bruce flew the F-80 and the F-100. He later returned to UNM to earn undergraduate and Master's degrees and to teach social studies in Albuquerque's public school system.

Bruce had finished work on his EdD at Oklahoma State when President Johnson called his Guard unit back to active duty. Assigned to Special Operations School at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Bruce became an instructor of Counter Insurgency. He then served as Assistant Secretary to the joint staff in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand during Vietnam. After the war, Bruce was assigned to the United States Air Force Academy and became an Assistant Director and later Director of Visual Information Services. He also taught classes in political science. He was appointed Tenure Faculty Staff Officer in 1980.

Retired as a Lt. Col. in 1993, Bruce sold real estate, served two terms on the D11 School Board, was president of CASB, a CASA volunteer for two years and was on the board of Friends of Monument Valley Park for many years. His passions were politics, his family and people of all ages, especially children.

Bruce is survived by his wife of forty-four years, Patricia Doyle, his son Michael Doyle (Leslie), his daughter Tracy (Steven) and seven grandchildren: Nolan, Zachary and Sophia of San Carlos, CA; Christopher, Sarah, Nicholas and Olivia of Rumson, NJ; and a great-grandson, Elliott Joseph of NYC.

A mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on October 4, 2025 at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Reception follows. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bruce's memory may be sent to Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care, D#11 Foundation, or a non-profit of your choice.