Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 272285
Title: Bruce Northrop
Date: 2/11/1933-8/12/2026
Inscription/Marks: 2/11/1933
Summary: Bruce Northrop, 93, of Medora, ND, passed away August 12, 2026, in Dickinson, ND. A funeral service was held August 19, 2026, at the Medora Community Center. Burial was in the Medora Cemetery. Bruce was born February 11, 1933, the son of Ward S. and Gladys (Heaton) Northrop. He was raised on the family ranch west of Fairfield, where the western way of life became a part of who he was from an early age. At just 16 years old, Bruce went to work for Fettig Rodeo Company. He later worked for Don Short on the Short Ranch north of Medora, as well as for Jim Tescher and Gold Seal Company in Medora. Bruce eventually went to work for the National Park Service at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where he spent 25 years before retiring in 1993. Team roping was a lifelong passion. Bruce was a member of the WTRC and competed in World Series Team Roping and numerous other roping organizations throughout the years. His years in the arena earned him more saddles and buckles than could easily be counted, but it was the people, horses and friendships along the way that meant the most. In 2011, Bruce was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in the Modern-Era Rodeo category - a fitting honor for a man who spent much of his life on horseback and with a rope in his hand. Retirement didn't mean hanging up his spurs. For nearly 30 winters, Bruce headed south to Arizona, where he continued doing what he loved best - team roping, of course. Bruce married Judy Marucheck on December 14, 1956, and together they had two sons, Dean and Doug. They later divorced. On February 8, 1969, Bruce married Judy Caldwell. She passed away in 1988. Bruce later shared many years with his longtime partner, Jane Muggli. Bruce is survived by his sons, Dean (Mary) Northrop of Beach, ND, and Doug Northrop of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren, Derek (Jodi) Northrop and Hannah Northrop, both of Dickinson; great-grandchildren, Rylee and Quinn Northrop; along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ward and Gladys Northrop; wife, Judy Northrop; longtime partner, Jane Muggli, and siblings, Ward Northrop, Leah Ray and Dale Northrop.
Red ID: FND_I_79778

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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