Bruce E. Eller

Bruce Edward Eller, of Gardner, Kansas, passed away at his residence on January 5, 2023.

He was born November 2, 1961, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Edward and Betty Jean (Griffin) Dotson.  He spent his childhood in Raytown, Missouri, before moving to Johnson County, Kansas for the remainder of his life.

Bruce attended Shawnee Mission Northwest, graduating in 1980. He also attended Johnson County Community College focusing on business classes.

Bruce was an Oldsmobile ASE Certified Master Technician for 20 years. He began employment with Universal Underwriters/Zurich in 1999. He became a Salvage Recovery Specialist and was a valuable asset at the company. He achieved an Associate degree in General Insurance while working with the company. He enjoyed the folks he worked with and made lifelong friends there.

Bruce had a great love of auto racing all his life. He began a decade-long career in 1990s-2000s as a crew chief/mechanic with local racing favorite, Jeff Klem. He was involved in all aspects of building & maintaining the cars. Their race team won several late model track championships at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Missouri. They also competed on a limited basis for three years in the midwest ARTGO series traveling to Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri to compete. Bruce also traveled extensively throughout the southeast attending professional NASCAR races in Tennessee, North & South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida.

Memorial contributions in Bruce’s name may be made to Harbor Hospice at 7223 W. 95th Street, Suite #230, Overland Park, KS, 66212.

A Celebration of Life service will be held in Bruce’s honor April 30, 2023, from 2-4pm, at Warren Place, 136 E. Warren Street, Gardner, KS, 66030.