Fr. Bruce Clanton SDS

Fr. Bruce Clanton, SDS, left this world on May 22, 2025 at the age of 80. There was no one quite like Bruce, and he will be missed by so many people from the Racine community that he served throughout his life.

Bruce was born in Sacramento, California to Mimi and Russell Clanton on February 4, 1945. He is survived by his younger brothers, Steven and Michael Clanton, their wives, Lori and Julie, his dear cousin, Diane Owen, and her husband, Ed.

Bruce was a product of the 1960s and remained so his whole life. He was inspired to be a priest as an 8-year old after reading an autobiography of St. Francis. As teenagers, he and Diane met JFK and campaigned for him. After high school he moved to Wisconsin for seminary studies in St. Nazian’s, professing as a Salvatorian in 1966 and being ordained a priest in 1978 - on April 1st, declaring he was A Fool for Christ.

Fr. Bruce had a double vocation as a teacher and priest, engaging the hearts, minds, and souls of Racine’s youth and making God’s love known to them in ways that others couldn’t. Anne Frontier, a lifelong friend and musical collaborator at many of Bruce’s liturgies, helped Bruce get his first job at St. Catherine’s High School where collaboration produced Angel Alley. From this foothold at St. Catherine’s, he introduced YouthChurch at Holy Name and eventually opened a drop-in center at St. Rose as a city-wide youth minister, where he hosted basketball, video games, movie nights, dances, and retreats.

Eventually, and even more profoundly, Fr. Bruce started Matthew 25 ministry and Casa Cesar Chavez on Hamilton St. He served the Latino teens of Racine, introduced Homeboyz Industries and billed it all as “Something Good from ‘Hood”. Bruce became a father figure to so many young people. YouthChurch moved to St. Patrick’s and Cristo Rey. Bruce taught English at San Juan Diego and later the St. John XXIII tutoring program, and he visited many public schools with his reading programs.

Fr. Bruce spread the Gospel through his actions. He showed people the unconditional love of Jesus (and his mother Mary) by visiting schools and jails, attending baptisms and court dates, taking kids on trips to meet authors & artists, housing fosters at the Casa, teaching teens to make movies as “Drive-By Shooters” and putting money in their pockets by paying them to read books and graphic novels. Through good times and bad times, Bruce was always there for so many.

Fr. Bruce was an identifiable institution in the community, driving around in his colorful car with the Virgin Mary on the side, dressing more like a hippie than a priest, and always teaching young people the things that really matter in life. From his handwriting to his liturgy to his newsletters, he was entirely unique. Bruce had a special skill of making the uncomfortable feel at ease, and the comfortable feel uneasy. He loved the poor and forgotten, peace, deep thinkers, and God’s creation. In contrast, Bruce placed no value on money, petty rules, narrow minds, or Donald Trump. In his later years, he became inseparable from his beloved dog, Bubu, and they would visit bookstores, coffee shops, and parks – always without a leash!

Bruce was gentle, forgiving, and generous with youth, and grateful to all who donated time and money to support his work. He was loved by so many because he always loved first.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1101 Erie Street, Thursday May 29, 2025, 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and on Thursday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be held at St. Nazianz Cemetery. Memorials to Fr. Bruce Legacy Fund have been suggested.

The Mass will be live streamed and may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/live/p1PAbLGqLYc