Name to a Face: Bruce Denny - Fencing and Family Man

Bruce Denny began his time in this world June 3, 1941 in Laurin, Montana and made quite the entrance when he arrived. Thought to be stillborn, and with attendants dealing with his mother's already rough condition, he was placed in a shoebox and covered with a dish towel, to be dealt with at a less chaotic time. However, with a wiggle of his toes, a nurse saw that he was indeed alive. What could have been a terrible mistake was quickly corrected and Bruce began his adventurous life as one of seven children.

Named after Bruce Barrel, an acquaintance of his father's, Bruce was three when his family moved Wisdom, Montana, where he would be educated until high school. One might ask, what did kids in Wisdom do for fun back in his days? To which Bruce loves to reply, they went down on Thursdays to watch people get haircuts!

Upon entering high school, Bruce realized he loved sports. He tried everything from football to baseball, skating and skiing; however, he didn't take to the education part of schooling. Within the first half of his Freshman year he dropped out and began working alongside his father, fencing. Over the next seven decades, Bruce made his living fencing, loving his time outdoors in Montana.

He ventured into the National Guard for about six months before deciding a high school education was indeed important, and returning to school. Upon graduation he founds himself at the University of Montana - Western, where he studied for two semesters before, again, realizing the outdoors was calling his name. He worked for the forest service packing and cutting trails.

Eventually he found his way into bar ownership, with a haunt in Dillon that is now known as The Office, but back then was called The Shoe String. Bruce, a fearless man who always got into fights and saw fighting as a lucrative deal, also worked as a bouncer in Butte for a time.

His motto: Always do what you want to; because of this, he says he has met the greatest people in the world. Married four times, with eleven kids, he now has a total of 41 grand-children.

Bruce doesn't believe he's ever been somewhere that he didn't know someone there. While he was voted "most likely not to succeed" in high school, he believes his life has been quite a success, despite that superlative. Bruce now spends his time fencing just as he always has; in his free time he loves to build picture frames out of salvaged and rehabbed old wood. He also builds furniture when he can.

He loves Whitehall because of the people; he knew many before he moved here, and has since met many more good ones. He's a hardworking, always working ,man with great stories who is always willing to share a story and a smile.