Bruce Allen Westerdahl of Mathews is a multi-talented but humble gentleman of 93. His heartfelt love for family, his past careers and exploits are a testament to his longevity.
He has accomplished much in his life, from high school and college sports star in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame to teaching and advising both in the U.S. and abroad, being a newspaper reporter, serving in the military, then lay preaching, and writing.
When asked about his background and his somewhat unusual name, Bruce told how his grandfather’s last name was Pederson, a very common Swedish name. Pederson was tired of being mixed up with others so he took his mother’s maiden name, Westerdahl, meaning “western valley.” After a time, he made his new name official.
Born in New Jersey in the early days of the Depression, Bruce Westerdahl grew up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Since he was about 10 years old, this historic town was his playground and he loved it. It was also the hometown of his future wife, Nanc...