Otis A. Gruis

Otis A. Gruis, 74, of Bainbridge, passed away Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Otis was born November 2, 1951, in Albuquerque, NM, the son of Adolph & Charlotte Blodgette Gruis. After high school, he spent his years traveling the open road as a truck driver. He was Baptist by faith.

Otis loved his children and grandchildren and was always ready to make plans with them, especially when those plans involved riding four-wheelers, followed by pizza and root beer floats. He enjoyed shooting, racing cars, and watching NASCAR. Otis was always happy, made friends easily, and was the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with just about anybody. He was there for his friends and family and was someone they could count on when they needed him.

Survivors include his daughters, Melissa Sheffield (Robert) and Anne Burnett (Robert); his stepchildren, Bonnie Anhalt (Larry) and Ted Fields; his sixteen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; and his siblings, Mike Gruis, Florence Balfoot, and Adolph Gruis. In addition to his parent, Otis was preceded in death by his wife, Molly Bohanan; his son, Otis Gruis; and his siblings, Tom Chrisman and Arlois Gruis.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Alma, GA. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.bryantfuneralga.com. Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 2174.