Corbin Bruce Otwell

Corbin Bruce Otwell, 63, of Little Rock passed away Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Bruce was born in Magnolia,  Arkansas on November 20, 1958, to C.E. and Nancy Otwell. Bruce is preceded in death by both parents  and his son, Clayton Otwell. He leaves behind his wife, Betsy Otwell; his son and daughter-in-law,  Corbin and Mary Otwell; his sister, Donna Holland; and many family and friends. 

Bruce’s greatest loves were his sons, Corbin and Clayton, and his wife Betsy. He prioritized his family  above all and was fiercely protective. He was proud of his children, always wanting to spend time with  them. He drove Corbin and Clayton to school every day and insisted upon a kiss each morning when dropping them off. On his days off, he would pick up his sons from school and take them on rambling  afternoon drives or boating on the lake. He took his family on many road trips and had great fun stopping at roadside attractions to take pictures of his kids with giant chickens, buffalos, or anything else  they could find along the way.  

Bruce was a wonderful husband and dearly loved his wife. They loved to spend time with one another  and considered themselves best friends. They loved to go on weekend adventures, take art classes and  go bird watching. 

Bruce had a great circle of friends and loved it when they called him “Brucie”. He felt great loyalty for  his friends and had a special bond with his childhood and college friends, his brother-in law, Jim, as well  as those that he met as a young man and later in life. In the evenings, he would affectionately discuss  whom he had spoken to on the phone, had seen at work, or at the grocery store that day. 

Bruce loved life and lived it to the fullest. He particularly loved to ride motorcycles (or scooters as he  called them). He enjoyed attending motorcycle rallies and kept in touch with the many wonderful  friends that he had made from all over the country. His group of friends traveled to Sturgis, Daytona, Austin, and other rallies. He was always excited about the next trip on the schedule, which friends were  going and who he would get to see while he was there. One of his favorites was the Wild Hog Rally in  Helena, Arkansas. 

Bruce had a fantastic sense of humor. He loved wearing suits and ties but was equally comfortable in Hawaiian shirts and western wear. He inherited a love of Christmas from his father, C.E., and spent many weekends and summers at his grandparents’ farms. He had a fondness for animals and had a  particular affinity for dogs. He never met a dog that he didn’t want to pet. He loved his dog, Adolph, and would let Sweetie, Chance, and Ginger curl up on the couch with him for naps every day. 

Bruce graduated from Hall High School in 1977 and majored in political science at the University of  Arkansas at Fayetteville. Later, he enthusiastically participated in the welding program at Pulaski  Technical College where he received an academic achievement award for a 4.0 grade point average. 

Bruce was passionate about music, playing both the guitar and the piano. As a child, his parents would  take him to listen to music at the Ozark Folk Center. His first performance was at church camp in a band 

that he formed with friends, and he later played with several local Arkansas bands. He loved live music and had many stories about the shows that he attended and the musicians that he met. 

Bruce’s favorite sport was baseball. He played catcher for the Coleman Dairy team with which he was  able to play in the world series. He played football and ran track at Hall High School and was proud of  his relay team that set a state record that remained unbroken for many years. Bruce golfed, raced cars,  bowled in a league with friends, loved to duck hunt, and laughed about winning a Duncan yo-yo  competition in his youth. 

Bruce worked at J.C. Penney’s, PepsiCo, J. Pruitt Shoes and Bo Birkenstocks. He ended his career as a sales rep for shoe brands associated with the Birkenstock company. Bruce had deep and long-standing friendships with his work family at J. Pruitt Shoes. 

Bruce was a Southern Baptist and had a deep faith in God. 

The family is hosting a gathering to celebrate Bruce’s life. Please call Smith Little Rock Funeral Home,  501-224-2200, for more information. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Van or the Audubon Society of Central  Arkansas. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Smith Little Rock Funeral Home.