WEST BATH — Eleanor Joan Bruce, 84, of West Bath and Abaco, Bahamas, passed away Friday, June 23, surrounded by her family.
Eleanor was born on May 1, 1933, in Lewiston, the daughter of William J. Mynahan and Louise Cote Mynahan. She married William A. Bruce on Nov. 22, 1958, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lewiston. Together they raised six children in Brigham’s Cove, West Bath.
Eleanor graduated from St. Mary’s General Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She went on to complete her bachelor’s degree at Boston College, graduating in 1958, then completed her master’s in education at the University of Maine in 1976.
She began her professional career as a clinical instructor at St. Mary’s Nursing School. Eleanor later held the position of assistant professor of science at Bliss College in Lewiston. She returned to her alma mater, St. Mary’s School of Nursing, to become the assistant director. In 1976, she took the position of director. She ended her career as the director of public health nursing for the state of Maine from 1988 until she retired in 1995.
Following her retirement, Eleanor and her husband spent the winter months on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas for 21 years. Eleanor enjoyed music, swimming with her family, gardening and participating in the Bahama Palm Shore’s book and painting clubs. Most recently, she enjoyed weekly games of Mahjong with her neighbors in Brigham’s Cove and Bahama Palm Shores.
Eleanor is survived by her husband, William; sister, Phyllis Theberge of Lewiston; sister-in-law, Nancy Noftall of Woolwich; daughter, Mary Wallace of West Bath and her family, Ronald Wallace, Corey Wallace, Sarah Charette, their son, Elliot, of Bowdoinham, Cara Wallace and Scott Rogers of Topsham, Drew Wallace and his daughter, Isabelle, of Edgecomb, Dana Wallace, Nick Gilliam and their daughter, Faith, of Phippsburg; her daughter, Martha Hart and husband, James Hart, of Waterville and their children, Bradford of Everett, Mass., Christen Gillespie and husband, Lee, of Frederick, Md., Kaitlin Woodbury, and husband, Andrew, and their sons, Preston and Paxton of Topsham; her daughter, Joanne Powers and husband, Timothy Powers, of West Bath, and their daughter, Emily Powers and Jason Barriault of Portland; her son, Michael Bruce and his family, Tyler Bruce and Chelsea Ross of West Bath, Paige Bruce and fiancé, Conor Fahey, of Lisbon Falls; her son, Mark Bruce, and wife, Sara, their daughter, Erin of Gray and son, Brian Hodgins and fiancée, Susy Fay, of Bangor; her son, William Bruce III of West Bath; and many nieces and nephews.
To express your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com.
