Bruce John Wood was born June 5, 1922 in St. Vincent's Hospital in Los Angeles, California to Carl Wood and Frances Goss Wood. He attended schools in Los Angeles until the family moved to San Marino. After graduating from South Pasadena High School in 1940, he attended the University of Oregon where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. He applied and was accepted as a cadet to the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York in 1942. After graduating from the academy, Bruce served in the Pacific Theater during World War II until his honorable discharge in 1945.

Later in 1945, Bruce joined Kaiser Steel where he held various supervisory positions and was selected to attend Columbia University for an executive business program. In 1984, Bruce and three of his Kaiser colleagues purchased Myers Drum Company a subsidiary of Kaiser Steel. This new company known as IMACC Corporation manufactured and reconditioned steel drums. Bruce was Vice President of Sales and Marketing until his retirement in November 1994.

During his retirement years, Bruce and his wife, Ruth, enjoyed extensive traveling, fictional writing, bocce ball, wine tasting, and dancing. Since 1999, they lived their leisure years in Rossmoor located in Walnut Creek. 

Bruce's passing took place March 7, 2016 and he is survived by his wife, Ruth; sister Marjorie; stepson Randall and his wife, Jovy, and grandchildren Diego and Angelo; stepdaughter Rhonda and her life-partner Christopher, and their dog, Cooper.

Contra Costa Times, March 8, 2016