Bruce Edward Hart was born April 6, 1959 in Tuscan, Arizona to Mildred Louise White Hart and Willie Hart. He was the stepson of the late Richard Freeland. After recent years of sickness, Bruce departed this life and went to be with the Lord on June 11, 2020. He grew up in Bronx, New York. Around 1984, he relocated to Gastonia, North Carolina where he graduated from truck driving school and was hired by Mayflower Truck Company. Bruce loved to travel, and truck driving was a perfect fit for his adventurous life—allowing him to go from city to city and state to state. After employment with Mayflower, he later worked for other truck companies. He was also an excellent craftsman of professional painting, wallpapering and yardwork—skills he inherited from his grandfather. He even painted the entire inside of their existing house without help from anyone while battling cancer. He was very particular and wanted the job to be done right. Bruce was a fun loving and kindhearted person. His mother was well known by many family and friends as the amazing cook that she was; and Bruce, likewise, loved to cook AND eat. One of his routine lines was “what you cooked?”

In the mid 1980’s he attended Friday Memorial Baptist Church in Dallas, North Carolina while living in Gastonia, North Carolina. Bruce was ministered to, encouraged and helped by many family members, friends and several faith-based ministries down through the years—including Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Exodus Homes Rev. Reggie Longcrier in Hickory, North Carolina. He knew the value of prayer and was not ashamed to ask for prayer—a song and a prayer! Although down through the years, Bruce lost many dear family members, God blessed him to discover the existence of siblings he never knew he had and for that he was so incredibly happy. He cherished and welcomed his newfound siblings along with his baby brother Terry. Most importantly, there were some life changing moments that identified and forever sealed Bruce Edward Hart with Jesus Christ as his Savior.

Bruce was preceded in death by his grandfather Phiniszy White, grandmother Elnora Walker White, mother Mildred Louise White Hart Freeland, stepfather Richard Freeland, brother Ray (Ricky) Edward Freeland and father Willie Hart.

He is survived by his loving faithful wife Sheila Jamison Hart of the home in Gastonia, North Carolina and their son Averill Lamar (Lamar) Jamison (Tokyo, Japan, U.S. Air Force). He is also survived by four sisters Yolanda (Gregory) Thompson, Commack, New York; Janice Thomas, Lexington, South Carolina; Monica Thomas, Lexington, South Carolina; and Barbette Thomas, Lexington, South Carolina. He is survived by three brothers Pastor Paul (Mary) Hart, Irvington, New Jersey; Kelvin (Carol) Hart, Rockville, Maryland; and Terry Freeland, Buffalo, New York. Kind, thoughtful and loving memories of Bruce will forever be cherished by his aunts, uncles, cousins, and a host of other relatives and friends.

He will lie in state on Friday; June 19, 2020 at the funeral home from 12-2

Private memorial service at Gregory Funeral Service Chapel with live streaming beginning at 2:15 on Gregory Funeral Service Facebook page.