Bruce Gilchrist | 2015 | Obituary
Plant Trees
In Remembrance
Send a Card
Show Your Sympathy
to the Family
Send Flowers
Order Flowers
for the Family
Bruce Gilchrist
May 23, 2015
Share this obituary
GILCHRIST, Bruce, died May 23, 2015. Bruce grew up in England during World War II. He was a serious and dedicated student, earning his Ph.D. by the time he was 21. Believing his best shot at academic and social independence lay in America, Bruce boarded the Queen Mary arriving in New York with a magnificent brain, one brown suit and about 25 dollars in cash. Bruce worked at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton, taught math at Syracuse University, was recruited to a tiny computer start-up called IBM, started his own computer company and finally spent many years as the head of computing at Columbia University. He believed in giving back and served on the local school board and as the town supervisor in New Castle, New York, where our family grew up. Although the list of Bruce's academic and civic accomplishments is impressive to us he was our "Dad." He took us to baseball games, on summer vacations to New Hampshire, and off on college visits. At the dinner table he silently tolerated all manner of ridiculous statements made by his three sons. As children we saw him as the "enforcer" and my mom was the "softie." But later we came to realize our Dad had an amazing ability to be endlessly patient and kind. As the world changed and the family swirled in every direction he remained amazingly non-judgmental. Bruce was like a cat with nine lives. After the devastating loss of our mother "Jinx" we all predicted Dad would swiftly decline. We were completely mistaken. Bruce went on to marry Pam Rubin and finally to spend his last years with Bette, whom he loved, respected and cherished. Together they traveled, laughed and went to the zoo. We will miss our Dad every day. A gathering of family and close friends to celebrate Bruce's life will be held Saturday, May 30, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the home of Jay Nanavati, 3008 Seminary Ave.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Bruce Gilchrist, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.