Bruce F. Gantenbein

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Bruce F. Gantenbein, 61, of Iowa City, passed away on August 9, 2013, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

No formal service will be held. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 14, 2013, from 4 until 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service - Iowa City 605 Kirkwood Avenue, P.O. 167 Iowa City Iowa 52244. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to The Bruce F. Gantenbein Memorial Fund. All contributions will be used to support a music-related cause.

Bruce was born September 3, 1951, in Muscatine. He graduated from Muscatine High School in 1970, where he was captain of the Muskies basketball team his senior year. He attended Cornell College from 1970-71 and Iowa State University from 1971-1972. He moved to Iowa City in 1973, and lived there until his death.

A lifelong entertainer, Bruce performed professionally as a singer and guitarist in several bands, including Gambler, Cabala, the Uptown Serenaders, McCandless and Gantenbein, Kelly and the Komb-Overs, and Last Chance. In addition, he performed as a solo act under the names of "Bruk Gant" and, more recently, "Big Bruce."

We also would like to note that Bruce recently recorded a CD including some original songs. There will be a CD release party sometime in the fall. More information will be forthcoming.

He also performed as a stand-up comic throughout the Midwest, and was a regular at Penguin's Comedy Club in Cedar Rapids. He may be best known to eastern Iowans, however, as "Dr. Morbius," host of KCRG's "Saturday Nightmares" television show. He also won two "Addy" awards from the Cedar Rapids Advertising Federation.

Entertainment was not his only career. He worked for the City of Iowa City for a number of years, he became an officer with the Iowa City Police Department, where he worked from 1978-1980. He attended the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 1979, where he was vice president of his class. Following that, he began work at the University of Iowa, becoming a campus police officer in 1990, and later a security officer with the UI Department of Public Safety. He retired from the University in 2011.

He is survived by his mother, E. Louise Gantenbein of Iowa City; his brother and sister-in-law, Rex Gantenbein and Judith Powers of Laramie, Wyoming; his son, Jesse Gantenbein of Minneapolis; and his daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Kyle Coobs, and grandchildren Quincy and Eliza Coobs, all of Iowa City.

He was preceded in death by his father, Earl Gantenbein.

Service

No Service Scheduled or Private

Visitation

Lensing Funeral Home

605 Kirkwood Avenue Iowa City, Iowa 52240-4668

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM