Bruce Stagg

Bruce Patrick Stagg was born on Sunday, May 20, 1951 and passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2020.

Bruce was born in El Paso, Texas and his love for fly fishing and the sea had him make his way to the Florida Keys, a place he truly loved.

He was a vet who served his country honorably, then as his love for fly fishing grew, he moved to the Florida Keys with his predeceased wife Mary Ann to become one of the most respected guides in the area.  His knowledge and fishing skills were known to many who traveled to one of the most desirable fishing destinations in the world to catch Tarpon, Permit, and of course the prized Bonefish.  Many resident guides from the Keys knew Bruce well and after fishing all day, a cold beer at the Lorelei was a big part of the whole fishing experience. One old time guide stated that Bruce was one of the best because “he thought like a fish.”

Bruce was an incredible athlete from a young age, picking up several MVP awards in football and baseball, and a voracious reader. He was someone people were drawn to, yet he had absolutely no idea that he had that power. He was incredibly authentic and genuine – not a phony bone in his body – and extremely funny, also without realizing it.

No words can possibly express how despondent we are to lose our sweet brother, uncle, and friend. “Everyone who knew Bruce, loved Bruce” is not a cliché when it comes to Bruce, it’s factual. He was a gentle, kind-hearted animal lover who could talk with an amazing amount of knowledge on a vast array of subjects, most especially the sea and fishing. He was also a marvelous cook, as anyone lucky enough to taste his incredible dishes will testify. In a nutshell, Bruce was a jewel of a human being who doesn’t come around but possibly once in a lifetime.

Bruce was a resident of Florida at the time of his passing. He is survived by brother Michael Stagg and his wife Anita, sister Cheryl Jenkins and her partner David Stern, sister Joanne Weaver and her husband Rick and their three children and 4 grandchildren (soon to be 6), brother Danny Raymond Jr. and his wife Cindy, his brother and sister by choice Jeff and Dianne Johnson, cousins Joy Nuwer and her family and Patricia Kirk and her family, and a multitude of cousins, aunts, and uncles and friends who all truly loved Bruce.

A Memorial of Life for Bruce will be held as soon as the times allow us to travel and gather freely. We plan to have a large Italian meal to honor Bruce and his desire to visit Italy (yet sadly, never got that chance), where everyone can honor Bruce and tell their Bruce stories, which are incredible, astonishing, and hilarious. We miss Bruce with all our hearts.