Farquhar MacRae

Farquhar "Bruce" MacRae, 93, a resident of Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor in St. Johns and a former resident of Fowler and rural Cass City, passed away December 31, 2014.

Bruce was born Aug. 16, 1921, in New Greenleaf to the late Kenneth William and Sarah Ann (McLellan) MacRae. He attended the country school and graduated from Cass City High School in 1939. Bruce attended Bay City Junior College and Wayne State University with an original ambition of becoming a math teacher, but eventually returned to the family farm where he raised and managed a Registered Holstein dairy herd before unofficially retiring in April 1981.

Bruce married Lois Joan (Howard) on Aug. 14, 1965, in Marlette. He was a long-time member, elder, member of Presbytery, choir member and Sunday School teacher at Fraser Presbyterian Church in rural Cass City, and had attended the First Congregational Church in St. Johns. Bruce was a past supervisor of Greenleaf Township in Sanilac County, member of the Sanilac County Farm Bureau and the Michigan Milk Producers Association, member of the District 1 Holstein Association and a 67-year member of Holstein Association USA. He enjoyed attending and helping at dairy sales and shows and caring for his daughter's show heifers.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lois; daughter Sara (Ron) Long, of Lansing; grandson Keagan Long; one brother-in-law, Eaton (Margaret) Kelly; one sister-in-law, Evelyn (K. Ivan) MacRae; nephews Jeffery (Judy) Karr, Kenneth and Christopher (Cheryl) Kelly, and Douglas MacRae, M.D.; and nieces Marilyn (Allyn) Abel, Jacqueline (James) Chandler, Karen Slippy, Margaret Jean Zorn, and Barbara (Phil) Rockwell; and several grandnephews and grandnieces. He was predeceased by his parents; brothers Leonard Douglas (Edna) MacRae, M.D., Kenneth Ivan MacRae, D.O., Archibald Raymond (Marian) MacRae and Calvin (Verna Mae) MacRae; sisters Anna Marjorie, Dorcus Evangeline, Christina Alexandria, Lorna Belle (Keith) Karr, Lela Irene (Alvin) Hall, Thelma June MacRae, D.O. and Margaret Elizabeth Kelly; three infant sisters Florence, Mary Elizabeth and Rosalie; nephews David and Alan MacRae; and niece Charlene (John) Nipper.

The family will receive friends and relatives at the Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns with visitation from 4:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, January 2, 2015, and from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 3, 2015, with funeral service following at 11:00 AM. Dr. John Nipper will officiate. Interment will be in the Elkland Township Cemetery in Cass City at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Michigan State University Dairy Cattle Judging Program or the Lansing Community College Foundation/Nursing Program. The family is being served by the Osgood Funeral Homes.