Bruce Dusenberry

Bruce died peacefully at home on June 24, 2017, 4 days short of his 95th birthday. He was born in Tucson, at the Stork’s Nest on north Court Avenue, on June 28, 1922. He grew up in Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, a popular destination for Tucson residents during the summer season. His parents, C.R. Dusenberry and Catherine Moore Dusenberry, had built the Santa Rita Trails Resort there and operated it for about 15 years. Bruce and his sister, Martha Lois Dusenberry, were homeschooled by their mother and helped at the lodge. The family also purchased a truck to haul firewood from the canyon to Tucson in the winter and bring ice up in the summer, as well as furniture and appliances for the private cabins. After the resort was sold in the early 30’s, the family moved to the West University neighborhood at 721 N. 3rd Ave, behind Time Market, where Bruce attended Roskruge Jr High and Tucson High School, graduating in 1941. The Madera Canyon ‘trucking enterprise’ was used to obtain a Moving & Storage Certification from the Arizona Corporation Commission and the family moving business was born. Operated out of their home on 3rd Avenue, the moving company started with a single truck and a small brick warehouse on the alley. After high school, Bruce went to work in the family business, then named City Transfer Company. Bruce met the love of his life, Kathryn “Katie” Norton Dusenberry at Trinity Presbyterian Church where they were married on April 17, 1948. In 1952 Bruce purchased the moving business from his father. It was renamed City Van & Storage, and later Horizon Moving Systems, and eventually became a major company in the United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit national system. Bruce had a vision for creating the best moving company in the state and over the next 4 decades, with his hard work and determination, the business became the largest household goods moving company in Arizona. His desire for quality in all he did can still be seen in the warehouse buildings he meticulously built across the state: in Tucson, Phoenix, Yuma, Sierra Vista, and Flagstaff. Locally and nationally, Bruce is widely known and respected within the transportation business community. He served for twelve years (1975-1987) on the national Board of Directors of United Van Lines, Inc., a diversified $1.6 billion company, and was a recipient of its distinguished Gene Anderson Award of Excellence. He chaired the Tucson Metropolitan Highway Users Conference and served on the Boards of Directors of the Arizona Motor Transport Association, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona and the Arizona Highway Users Association. He was also active with the American Heart Association, Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Catalina Rotary Club (past president), YMCA and VIP Business Club. Bruce loved Tucson and, together with Katie, they have given many hours of service and had a profound impact on the growth and development of this community. He is survived by Katie, his wife of 69 years; son, Bruce; daughters Joan, Ann and Janel; 10 grandchildren; and 2 great grandchildren. Together with his family, he loved to fish, hunt, camp, and fly his airplane, especially to Mexico and Alaska. Most of all he loved his family, friends, employees and his hometown of Tucson, Arizona. He will be dearly missed by all. Donations may be made in Bruce’s memory to your favorite charity. Funeral services will be private. Arrangements for a celebration of life memorial are being planned