Bruce Brown

Bruce D. Brown, 92, passed away surrounded by his family in Venice, FL, on April 25, 2026. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he leaves behind a legacy of dedication and love for his family, his career, a strong faith, and the many lives he touched.

Bruce is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Marilyn; his sons, Mark (wife Kathryn), Douglas (wife Deborah), and Steven; grandchildren Jason, Charles, Austin, David, Katrina, Brandi, Emily, and Benjamin; and great-grandchildren Isabella, Sophia, Olivia, and Mia.

Born on December 20, 1933, in Reading, PA, he graduated as valedictorian from West Reading High School in 1951, where he played varsity football, basketball, and baseball. He attended Muhlenberg College on a football scholarship and was a freshman starter. During the ongoing Korean War in 1952, he and several fellow members of the Muhlenberg football team responded to their sense of duty by enlisting in the United States Air Force. He served in Japan as a radio operator and was a staff sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge in 1956. Bruce met his future wife, Marilyn Baer, in Reading while he was in the service, and they were married on February 4, 1956. They then moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Bruce attended Indiana Institute of Technology and earned a B.S. with honors in Electrical Engineering.

Bruce and Marilyn moved to San Diego, California, in 1958, where Bruce began his engineering career at Convair Aeronautics. In 1960, he relocated back to Reading, PA, and spent the next 30 years with Western Electric (later known as Lucent), retiring as a senior engineer. After retirement and upon moving to Florida in 1991, Bruce worked part time for 14 years with H&R Block in Englewood, FL. He earned the U.S. Treasury Department's Enrolled Agent certification and taught federal tax courses.

Bruce was an active member of Toastmasters International and was once awarded Speaker of the Year. He volunteered with The Source, serving local youth in the Berks County area. He coached baseball, basketball, and football with the Muhlenberg Athletic Association, and later served as a board member and president of the association. A 60+ year member of Rosedale UCC, he taught junior high and adult Sunday school classes, served as superintendent of Sunday School, sang in the choir, and served as a member of the consistory and a deacon of the church.

Marilyn was not only his wife, but also his best friend-positive, encouraging, forgiving, and always supportive. For 31 years they resided in Muhlenberg Township until Bruce's retirement from Lucent Technology. The next 29 years were spent shuttling between Flying Hills and Englewood, Florida, before moving to Village on the Isle in Venice, FL, in 2019.

Bruce was very active in his children and grandchildren's lives. He was a wonderful mentor to his sons, offering the right blend of encouragement and advice. Even during undergraduate and graduate studies, it was not unusual to turn to Dad for tutoring in English, science, and advanced mathematics. He continued this tradition of wisdom, kindness, encouragement, and counsel for his grandchildren, stressing the importance of education, career, religion, family, and giving back to the community.

The family will hold a memorial gathering at the Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home in West Reading, PA, sometime in mid-June. In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests donations to the American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/. Condolences may be expressed and updated service information accessed at kuhnfuneralhomes.com.