Bruce Hugh Wilson
Bruce Hugh Wilson, age 66, died Sunday morning when he was out running in West Newton. Born December 18, 1957 in Milwaukee, WI to Joseph Alton Wilson and Elizabeth “Betty”, (née Frelka) Wilson. His parents owned three Naked Furniture stores in the greater Milwaukee area. Bruce was the youngest child, with siblings Maureen (Mark) Schloesser, Vicki (Dave) Splittgerber, and Russ (Cindy) Wilson, and 18 nieces and nephews, and more than 50 grand nieces and nephews.
Bruce graduated from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, with a BS in Engineering, from University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a MA in Mechanical Engineering, from Southern Methodist University with a MA in Electrical Engineering, and from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Bruce worked as a General Engineer at the Volpe Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, MA.
Bruce was an engineer, yet his passion lay in the many hobbies he pursued and explored throughout his adult life. Fluent in Spanish; conversational in Hebrew, Bruce spent years growing vegetables in raised bed, looking into the night skies exploring astronomy, taking online classes to learn about weather forecasting, and playing singles and doubles tennis at The Neighborhood Club in West Newton. Most recently, Bruce’s two passions were photography and learning French. Bruce was active in the Newton Art Association, Newton Open Studios, and Galatea Fine Art Gallery.
Bruce married Elizabeth Hirschhorn in 1995. Together they raised three children: Josephine (Josie), a medical student at Harvard Medical School; Frederick (Freddie), a podcaster about college and professional sports; and Amalya (Molly), soon to enroll in a Nurse Practitioner Program at Colby-Sawyer College, NH. Josie married Michael LaScaleia in June and Molly and her partner, George, welcomed their first child, August, in May.
Funeral service will take place at Temple Shir Tikva, 141 Boston Post Rd., Wayland on Wednesday, July 24th at 1:00 pm. Shiva will be at the family’s home Wednesday and Thursday evening from 6:00pm–8:00pm. Remembrances in memory of Bruce may be made Artisan’s Asylum @ libby.masek@artisansasylum.com, Newton neighbors Helping Neighbors, @ newtonneighbors.org/donate, or CJP Israel Emergency Fund, @ give.cjp.org/israelemergencyfund.