West Bath & Abaco, Bahamas- Eleanor Joan Bruce, 84, passed away June 23, 2017 surrounded by her family. Eleanor was born on May 1, 1933 in Lewiston, Maine. She was the daughter of William J. Mynahan and Louise Cote Mynahan. She married William A. Bruce on November 22, 1958 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lewiston. Together they raised six children in Brigham’s Cove, West Bath.

Eleanor graduated from St. Mary’s General Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She went on to complete her B.S. at Boston College, graduating in 1958, then completed her Master’s in Education at the University of Maine in 1976. She began her professional career as a clinical instructor at St. Mary’s Nursing School. Eleanor later held the position of Assistant Professor of Science at Bliss College in Lewiston. She returned to her alma mater, St. Mary’s School of Nursing, to become the Assistant Director. In 1976, she took the position of Director. She ended her career as the Director of Public Health Nursing for the State of Maine from 1988 until she retired in 1995.

Following her retirement, Eleanor and her husband spent the winter months on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas for 21 years. Eleanor enjoyed music, swimming with her family, gardening, and participating in the Bahama Palm Shore’s Book and Painting Clubs. Most recently, she enjoyed weekly games of Mah Jong with her neighbors in Brigham’s Cove and Bahama Palm Shores.

Eleanor is survived by her husband, William; sister Phyllis Theberge of Lewiston, sister-in-law Nancy Noftall of Woolwich, daughter, Mary Wallace of West Bath and her family; Ronald Wallace, Corey Wallace, Sarah Charette, their son Elliot of Bowdoinham, Cara Wallace and Scott Rogers of Topsham, Drew Wallace and his daughter Isabelle of Edgecomb, Dana Wallace, Nick Gilliam and their daughter Faith of Phippsburg; her daughter, Martha Hart and husband James Hart of Waterville; their children Bradford of Everett, MA, Christen Gillespie and husband Lee of Fredrick, MD, Kaitlin Woodbury, and husband Andrew and their sons Preston and Paxton of Topsham; her daughter Joanne Powers, and husband Timothy Powers of West Bath, and their daughter Emily Powers and Jason Barriault of Portland; her son Michael Bruce and his family: Tyler Bruce and Chelsea Ross of West Bath, Paige Bruce and fiancé Conor Fahey of Lisbon Falls; her son Mark Bruce, and wife Sara, their daughter Erin of Gray and son Brian Hodgins and fiancé Susy Fay of Bangor; her son William Bruce III of West Bath, and many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at the David E. Desmond & Son Funeral Home, 638 High Street, in Bath.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 10:00am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Lincoln Street, Bath. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pine Tree Society in Bath, Maine.

To express your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com