Bruce passed away in the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010. Always the teacher and counselor, he will be remembered for his caring and mentoring nature to all his family, students and friends.
Bruce was born on April 10, 1927, to Robert L. Crosswait and Elizabeth Thomson Crosswait in Huron, SD. He was the youngest of six children. Bruce spent the first 15 years of his life in Woonsocket, SD. He moved with his parents to the Black Hills, the family’s favorite place on earth, in 1942. Bruce attended Piedmont High School for two years until it closed. He then spent his senior year at Rapid City High School, graduating in 1945. He served in the US Marine Corp at the end of WWII. Upon being honorably discharged for an injury, Bruce attended Black Hills Teachers College on the GI Bill from 1948 to 1951, graduating with a teaching degree. He then accepted his first teaching position (high school chemistry and math) at Bennett County High School in Martin, SD. There he met Helen Moorhouse, and the two were married on August 22, 1953, in Laramie, WY.
Bruce completed his Masters Degree in Education from the University of Wyoming in 1956. In the fall of 1956, Bruce became the Superintendent of Schools in Wall, SD. In Wall, Bruce’s first child, Constance (Connie), was born in 1957. In 1959, the family moved to Hot Springs, SD, where Bruce was the Superintendent of Schools. There Bruce’s second child Mark was born in 1961. In August of 1963, Bruce took a position as assistant superintendent of schools in Turner, KS, and worked on his Doctorate of Education at the same time. In July of 1966, the family moved to Brookings, SD, where Bruce became Superintendent of Schools. A proud Jayhawk, Bruce completed his Doctorate in June of 1967 from Kansas University in Lawrence, KS. While in Brookings Bruce was active in the United Methodist Church, the Kiwanis, and a supporter of Bobcat athletics.
The family moved to Rapid City in 1975. Bruce and Helen built a home west of Rapid City on land that had been in the Crosswait family since the 1930‘s. This was a long-time dream realized. Bruce served as Academic Dean at National College of Business and worked in that capacity until 1982, when he began teaching for SDSU at Ellsworth Air Base. He also practiced as an educational consultant for teacher salary negotiations across the western part of South Dakota.
Bruce served on the Rapid City School Board from 1986-1989. He was blessed with a close church family at the Canyon Lake United Methodist Church in Rapid City.
Bruce married Rebecca Trumpy Gillings on January 30th, 1988. Bruce and Rebecca purchased the Adams House in Deadwood in May, 1989. The couple made many repairs to the old mansion, and worked with the South Dakota Historical Society in restoring the home and turning it into a Bed & Breakfast. Bruce and Rebecca sold the Adams House to the city of Deadwood in April, 1992.
Bruce was the chairman of the South Dakota Teachers Retirement system during the 90’s. He then retired from teaching and consulting, and spent a majority of his time ranching and traveling with Becky. The two of them took many trips together to the Caribbean, the Pacific, Europe, and lastly to Egypt. In addition to travel, Bruce ran a herd of 35 cattle, and a few chickens. Attempting to pass on the cowboy tradition to the apples of his eye, his grandchildren, he gave frequent horse and tractor rides. The biggest thrill that Bruce got out of the cattle business was the annual branding event in early May. Lots of family and friends would attend the branding party, and a good time was always had by all.
During the 1993-1994 schoolyear, Bruce was asked to return to Brookings in the capacity of interim school superintendent. This was a great honor for him. Bruce was also a past president of the Canyon Lake Senior Center.
A resilient man with a zest for life, Bruce contracted pancreatic cancer in 200(4). He considers it the result of thousands of prayers from friends and church family that he conquered this normally terminal disease, and was able to carry on.
Dr. Crosswait spent nearly 50 years of his life in the field of education, extremely proud of his accomplishments and impact on the field in the state of South Dakota. He was an innovator, and his ideas are still evident in the schools in which he worked. He is preceded in death by his parents, sisters Hasel Lee and Katherine Lindekugel , brothers Alan, and Robert, and his second wife Rebecca. He is survived by his brother Bill Crosswait of Spearfish, his first wife Helen Crosswait of Spearfish, daughter Constance (Todd) Hubbard of Spearfish; son Mark (Lanelle) Crosswait of Rapid City; stepdaughter Dru (Cal) Lippert of Anchorage, AK; stepson Bowen (Diane) Gillings of Colorado Springs, CO; and five grandchildren: Tobias, Elizabeth, Dakota, Hailey, and Danica, and many dear friends and work acquaintances.

Memorial services will be on Monday, August 2, 2010 at 11:00 am MDT at Canyon Lake United Methodist Church in Rapid City with Pastor Eric Grinager and Pastor Kim Bachman officiating.

A memorial has been established.