Bruce was born in Lakewood, Ohio and grew up in West Roxbury, MA. He attended Boston University. He worked for McGraw-Hill as an architectural representative for 18 years and lived in the same building in Brookline for 36 years. He leaves behind a sister and brother-in-law in Florida, Shirley and John Morrison, 2 nieces and their husbands, Kim and Brian Cummings of Newmarket, NH and Krista and Steven Leith of Northwood, NH, and a nephew, J Mark Morrison of Haverhill, MA. Funeral services were private.