Bruce O'Connor Brown

Bruce O’Connor Brown passed away in Ontario, CA at the age of 76 on January 11, 2022. He was born in Holyoke, MA on July 21, 1945 to Robert Colby Brown and Mary Edith (O’Connor) Brown. He grew up in Longmeadow, MA. After graduating high school, Bruce enlisted in the United States Air Force. Bruce was stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base near Saigon. Bruce was honorably discharged in June of 1967 due to his father’s illness. Bruce then attended Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA where he studied physics and calculus. In September of 1979, Bruce, his first wife Maria (Collins) and their young family moved to York, ME, where he worked as an oil and heating technician.

In 1971, Bruce climbed his first New Hampshire 4,000-foot mountain, Mount Washington. From then on, he dedicated most of his free time to hiking mountains in the New England area, and completed several lists of mountains.

Bruce was well-known throughout the hiking community and served on the AMC 4,000 Footer Club from 1975 to 1989. He was an ardent peakbagger who was not afraid to pull out his map and compass and bushwhack to many trailless peaks. He was also an Appalachian Mountain Club hiking guide and led hundreds of hikes for people working on completing their own lists. Bruce treasured all the friendships he made, especially the small group of cronies who accompanied him on his many expeditions. He completed the New Hampshire 4,000 footers with his son, David in 1979, and again with his daughters Joanna and Liza in 1987. This feat started an ongoing legacy of hiking passed down to his grandchildren.

In 1995, Bruce moved to Rancho Cucamonga, CA to be with his beloved, Alice Furuya, whom he married on July 14, 2012. While living in California, Bruce worked as a commercial electrician.

Throughout the years, Bruce and Alice spent time camping with their dogs, going to sporting events and attending concerts and productions. They enjoyed traveling, both internationally and throughout the United States. In his later years, Bruce became increasingly involved with his family genealogy. He was able to connect with various family members through DNA matches. Not only did he connect with these long-lost relatives but he also took the time and effort to travel throughout the US to meet them in person.

Bruce was a sentimental soul who had the gift of communicating his affections in writing to his many friends and family. One of Bruce’s most memorable attributes was his uncanny ability to turn every exchange into some kind of pun. This often resulted in several laughs but more often endless eye-rolling. Bruce was incredibly involved in his childrens’ sports activities. He had a love of astronomy and shared many meteor shower viewings with his children, who continue that experience with his grandchildren. Bruce had a passion for trivia games and music, and was an avid reader and sports fan. After moving to California, Bruce continued hiking, including several unnamed mountains on which he put up signs informally naming them after each of his children and one for his grandchildren. In more recent years, he was able to continue his love for and involvement with hiking through social media hiking forums.

Bruce was predeceased by his parents; his brother Richard Brown; sisters Jan Brown, Virginia Nickerson and Roberta Costello; and nieces Dorney Nickerson and Roberta Sheehan.

He is survived by his wife Alice Furuya of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; son David Brown (Molly) of Wells, ME; daughter Joanna Brown (Jason Apostol) of Canton, MA; daughter Liza Bryant (Patrick) of Wells, ME; and cherished granddaughter Avery Cormier and grandsons Colby Cormier, Maximus Apostol, Connor and Declan Brown and Trey and Alex Bryant. He is also survived by nieces Judy Poirier, Tracey Dimant, Lori Boardman and Catherine Johnson; nephews Robert Brown and Michael Costello; many cousins and lifelong friend Joe Nickerson.

Memorial services will be held in southern California and New England at later dates.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Bruce’s honor to:

AMC Four Thousand Footer Club

c/o Deane Morrison

1 Flaghole Road

Concord, NH 03301

Checks can be made to: AMC 4,000 Footer Committee OR

Venmo: @JoannaBrown43

Paypal: joannabrown@aol.com

National Genealogical Society

6400 Arlington Blvd Ste 810

Falls Church, VA 22042

Donate Now Page:

ngsgenealogy.org