William Bruce Tomblin, 76

William "Bruce" Tomblin was born Nov. 5, 1948, and lived his entire life in Kootenai County, Idaho. He grew up at his home on 11th Street and had many adventures on Sanders Beach and Tubbs Hill. In 1967, he graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School. After a brief stint with the highway department, he joined the Navy and served on DD717 the USS Theodore E. Chandler as a Fire Control Technician and cruised the Pacific Theatre including Viet Nam from 1968 to 1972. 

After he returned to Coeur d'Alene he attended and received a degree in Industrial Electronics from North Idaho College and went on to use that degree to invent the first wireless nurse call system and start Systems Technologies located in Hayden, Idaho. Whenever he had free time, he liked to go sailing, eat in Homer, Alaska, work on his limitless projects at the "farm," entertain friends and family at the "Crab Shack," eat at Hayden Lake Country Club and enjoy quality time at his cabin on Hayden Lake.

Preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Marguerite (Wood) Tomblin, and brother Gary Tomblin, he will be interred at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens near his family. He is survived by his wife, Linda Tomblin, children William "Troy" Tomblin (Blythe), Thomas "TJ" Tomblin (Jin), Kelly Cottier (Travis) and Arwen Gannaway (Stephen) and grandchildren Kobe, Ian, Logan, Hadassah, Keanan, Kailyn, Tatum, Finley, Kolton, Kihana, Kaylee and Sianna, as well as nephews Keith and Bryon Tomblin and nieces Joette Tomblin and April Clark. He passed away peacefully at home on his birthday Nov. 5, 2024. His memorial service will be held at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d'Alene on Monday, Nov. 11 at noon followed by a graveside service with military honors at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens. 

Bruce would appreciate any donations be made to the J.D. Vance 2028 Presidential Election campaign.

English Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with Bruce's arrangements please visit his online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.