Bruce Schubert-KM6ZJK of Ventura passed away peacefully on Monday night after a long battle with cancer.
Bruce was a long-time member of CVARC and a regular on the Bored Net.
A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, April 19th at Coastline Bible Church, 426 S. Mills Rd, Ventura. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ventura County Library READ Adult Literacy Program.
Bruce’s obituary as prepared by his family:
Bruce D Schubert
September 4, 1960 – April 4, 2022
Bruce was born in Weisbaden, Germany, to Fred and Jean Schubert where Fred was stationed with the Air Force at the time. He was the oldest in a family that would eventually include two sisters and a brother. He grew up and attended schools in Bremerton, Washington, graduating from East High.
Bruce was a solid, capable student but would prove his greatest abilities to absorb, process, and utilize knowledge were gained through independent focused pursuit. His superb work ethic was initially demonstrated while a paper boy for The Bremerton Sun. And, as it turned out, his paper carrier years led directly to his young launch into a career path in the emerging digital era. His quick and inquisitive mind having put him ahead of the curve, he was just the ‘techie’ the Kitsap Sun needed as it transitioned and adapted. Later the newspaper’s parent company offered him a position in Ventura California with various responsibilities for multiple newspapers. This trajectory continued. His service as an EMT and volunteer firefighter was a precursor to his position as software manager for Ventura County Fire Department.
He later became the software architect for AeroComputers, a young start-up company then, providing high-tech airborne camera systems used by law enforcement. Following yet another passion, privately, he began developing an emergency management software system which could predict a wildfire’s behavior in real time. He did this in collaboration with friend and mentor, Doug Campbell, a seasoned and highly respected wildfire expert, incorporating Doug’s theories and approach. Bruce’s program utilized NASA’s opensource World Wind technology and was/is available without cost. NASA promoted the use of World Wind for the greater good via annual innovation contest/demonstration gatherings for university teams and others. Bruce and his team participated on more than one occasion and won 1st place in Florence Italy. Bruce’s abilities were fully recognized within this NASA group, and he was later recruited to fill a senior software engineer position for a NASA project. He said this was the epitome of his career, and though he was fighting cancer throughout the entire time, he gave it his all.
Bruce’s passion for outdoor adventures is as storied as his career…and are too many to detail, but he loved off roading in his jeep, and riding his bike. His highlight venture was his mostly solo ‘iron butt’ ride from his Ventura CA home to the Artic Circle in a “crazy” amount of time, though no doubt it was done with skill and careful calculation.
Bruce became a father to his son Bryce through his marriage to Colleen Tomlinson. When he later married his wife of almost twenty-six years, Debbie, she became a second mom to Bryce, and Bruce became a second dad to her son Michael Ramirez. When Bryce married Alisha, they gave Bruce and Debbie two grandsons, Ben and Noah. And they all absolutely delighted in spending time with each other.
Bruce’s Christian faith and reliance upon God was integral to his living, his commitment to his family, his serving, his joy in life, and in the way he persevered throughout the long course of his disease. He was deeply in love with Debbie and recognized what a gift she was to him. He cherished his family and friends. He was actively involved in his church, doted on his wiener dogs, and played a mean guitar. He was witty and could be a terrible tease, particularly as his sisters remember it. When his life became increasingly limited by relentless disease he looked for, and found, new interests and things to try.
Bruce was preceded in death by his stepson, Michael, his brother Daren, and brother-in- law Jeff Robinson. In addition to his wife Debbie, and son Bryce and family, he is survived by his parents Fred and Jean, his sisters Lorri Schubert and Karen Schubert Dorman (Brian) We will all miss him deeply!