Bruce is as close to being a Hendersonville native as one can be. His family moved from Lowell, MA to Hendersonville when he was 6 months old. He graduated from Hendersonville High School in 1965 and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1969 with an AB in History. He was then commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy and spent the next 3 years on active duty aboard destroyers that were home ported in Norfolk, VA. After discharge, he attended the New England School of Law in Boston, MA. Upon graduation he was sworn in to practice law in both MA and NC. He kept a solo practice as a civil and criminal trial lawyer in Cambridge, MA for many years before retiring to Hendersonville in 2017.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine brings back memories of when Bruce was in the Navy in 1971, and his vessel sailed through the Bosporus Strait into the Black Sea. His was the first Navy destroyer squadron to sail into the “Russian Lake” during the height of the cold war. He says that Soviet ships and planes intercepted and followed them the entire time, and “were not happy we were there.”
Bruce is well-traveled, having camped and traveled the East coast with his family often in his youth. The Navy also provided opportunities to see many cities in the Mediterranean. When his service ended, he returned to Europe, driving and hitchhiking over 4000 miles before returning to the USA.
He worked with many non-profits In Massachusetts, focusing on the substance abuse field. He served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Abuse and was on the boards of many non-profits working in that field. He was co-founder and president of Massachusetts Sober Housing Corporation, a non-profit that created homes for recovering alcoholics and addicts, utilizing the Oxford House model. He used his legal skills to combat housing discrimination against recovering alcoholics and addicts.
Bruce became active with Veterans For Peace, a national organization, at the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003. Members were vocal in their opposition to the Iraq War and aided newly arriving Iraqi refugees to find housing, furniture, and other necessities.
He says that PAHC is aligned with his values and thinks that the current priority should be recruiting candidates for local offices, even if we are in a red county. He is partial to messaging and wants to maximize effectiveness as Democrats. He believes that Republicans should never get a free ride.
Bruce has been busy since retiring and moving back to the area. He reconnected with friends from high school and enjoys occasional lunches with them. He also supports local clubs such as The Western North Carolina Air Museum, Apple Valley Model Railroad Club, and Apple Country Woodcrafters, believing that they add much to the community. He has become active in the Democratic Party and enjoys making banners with various political and timely messages. When you see a large banner at any Progressive gathering, you have Bruce to thank.
We are impressed with Bruce’s use of his retirement years to engage with his community and work to make a pos
