“Daddy” Bruce Randolph; Restaurateur Offered Free Meals

“Daddy” Bruce Randolph, 94, a restaurant owner who doled out free holiday meals to thousands of people over 60 years. The owner of Daddy Bruce’s Bar-B-Q, he organized Thanksgiving dinners for people who had nowhere else to celebrate and eat dinner. Randolph’s charity earned him national attention. He was profiled in several publications, including People magazine. When he reached 93, Randolph explained his reluctance to retire with the rhyme, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, Ol’ Daddy Bruce, done hush this fuss.” But failing health forced him to close his Denver restaurant last March. On Thanksgiving, a Denver food bank offered to pick up where Daddy Bruce left off by organizing a special holiday giveaway. In Denver on Friday.