Michael Robert Bruno

Michael Robert Bruno was born May 1, 1919 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He was the son of Italian immigrants and 1 of 10 children. He was part of a close knit family. They often enjoyed large extended family meals together on Sunday afternoons. His parents often spent the day together in the kitchen cooking. This tradition was carried on in his own family as the children grew up, made homes of their own, and returned for Sunday dinner. His father, wanting everyone to learn English, moved the family to an Irish neighborhood. This was good"everyone learned English. This caused problems"there were fights between the Irish and Italians. However, close friendships were formed. A life long friendship was made with the Quinn family who fought over the spaghetti his mother would send over. He enjoyed his school years. One of the stories he loved to tell over and over was about the garlic sandwiches some of the kids ate. Their poor teacher was overwhelmed by the resulting odor and banned the offenders to the back of the room. Also fondly remembered was Grace Dolton. She was the high school history teacher who instilled in him a love of history, especially Western, that stayed with him throughout his life. Many times he told us how she made history come alive. After high school Michael joined the National Guard. Just as his enlisted time was up, Pearl Harbor was bombed and the National Guard became part of the Army. Maneuvers included looong hot 20 mile marches, and being made a prisoner of war in one of the mock battles. We loved hearing about how he and a couples of buddies escaped and made their way back to their unit camping along the way and raiding watermelon patches. He was shipped out to Italy. While there his company was ordered to take and hold an enemy hill. During the fight he was wounded by tank fire and later awarded a Purple Heart. His wound sent him stateside to Lovell General Hospital at Fort Devens. Here 1st Lieutenant Michael Robert Bruno met a beautiful Army nurse, 1st Lieutenant Barbara May Winchell who captured his heart and became his wife of 64 years. Following discharge they set up housekeeping in Pittsfield, Massachusetts where the first children were born. Then in 1952, after receiving a photo of a friends children on a beach in January, he moved the family to California. There the family grew to 8 children and he was sales manager of major appliances at the Broadway. He was loved and trusted by his many repeat customers. An avid sportsman, Mike enjoy shooting and hunting in the desert with his sons and fishing in both Oregon and Yellowstone. One notable catch before coming to California was a record 7 pound bass that was photographed and reported in his home town paper. He was a devoted family man and, as Boompa , his grandchildren became the delight of his retirement years. Born an Italian Roman Catholic, he grew in faith and love for Jesus over his lifetime. In his declining years he loved both to have the Bible read to him and to be prayed with. Michael was preceded in death by his siblings Daniel, Patrick, Frank, Robert, John, Connie, and Josephine; wife Barbara, and daughter Christine. He is survived by siblings Adeline, and Donald; sons Daniel, Christopher, Jeffery, and Peter; daughters Barbara Ann Roney, Marianne Ho, and Rose Myers; 10 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. He will be remembered as a faithful father, grandfather, and friend. We long for the day when every tear will be wiped away and we will be reunited in the presence of the Lord. Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-6