Bruce Emerson Hancock
October 5, 1937 - March 5, 2026

With sadness, love, and profound gratitude, the family of Bruce Emerson Hancock announces his peaceful passing at his home in Yelm, Washington, on March 5, 2026. Bruce leaves behind a legacy of lifelong honor, service, kindness, and selflessness.

Bruce was born in Ogden, Utah, to Victor and Edith Hancock, and he was the youngest of 8 children. He married Afton Mae Honing in 1953, and they had five children - Dean, Denise, Annette, Wayne, and Dale - before moving to California in 1967.

Bruce and Afton settled in Eureka, where he became a well-known businessman, owning an Allstate office for several decades. He was a lifelong and devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a tireless volunteer for the American Cancer Society, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organization for cancer research and patient support. After Afton’s passing in 1989, Bruce was married to Diane Darrow in 1994 until her death in 2026.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Edith Hancock; his wife of 36 years, Afton Mae Hancock; daughters Annette Hancock and Denise Mae Lavigne (née Hancock); son Dale Jay Hancock; stepson Erik Dunphy; his second wife of 31 years, Diane Darrow Hancock; and his siblings Dean, Dewayne, Cliff, Norman, Thelma, Harlan, and Mary.

Bruce is survived by his sons Dean Ray Hancock and Wayne Bruce Hancock; his stepdaughter Kimberly (John) Gaivin; grandchildren Sara Lynn Lewellen, Jacob Bruce Hancock, Kristie Marie (Isaac) Asuncion, Kyle Dean Hancock, Nikki Annette (Bruce) Wilkerson, Leshele Adele (Jeff) Mielke, and Dale Jay (Erica) Hancock II, as well as 23 great-grandchildren.

Bruce will be remembered for his life of adventure and service to others. He was a business owner, a bull rider, a pilot, a traveler, a writer, even a rodeo clown for a time, but nothing was more important to him than his church and his family. He held the hands of countless others as they left this earth to be with Jesus, and now he is resting in the arms of the Savior, reunited with loved ones in the kingdom of heaven. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)

Bruce will be interred at Ocean View Cemetery. Services will be at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Eureka on March 26, 2026, at 11 a.m.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Bruce Hancock’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.