John Robert Bruno, of Whispering Pines, NC died peacefully Saturday, March 18, 2017.
John was born the day after Christmas, 1930, in Paris, France, to Germaine and Sylvan Bruno. Germaine and Sylvan were French born, but naturalized American citizens. John’s two older siblings, Evelyne (deceased) and Phillip (Clare) were also born in France. When John was four, the Brunos returned to America and lived in Scarsdale, N.Y.
In 1950, John graduated from Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass., and in 1954 received his bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, John was captain of the soccer team, and an All-American. In 1953, he was voted the outstanding team player. John was a natural athlete who also played a great game of tennis.
After college, John joined the Army. He was an artillery officer at Fort Sill, Okla., after graduating from OCS. He went on to be an instructor at the school. After serving for four years, John left the Army and moved to New York City where he started a career in advertising. His favorite account was the U.S. Army.
In NYC, John met Joan Mallett. They were married 55 years ago this May in the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. They lived in NYC until their son, J. Robert Bruno Jr. ’81 (Teresa) was a year old, when they moved to an old farm house in Stamford, Conn. Elizabeth Bruno Hyer (Ken) and Gigi Bruno (Jeff Heisner) were born while they lived in Stamford. In 1970, the family moved to Rochester, N.Y., where John worked for the Rumril-Hoyt advertising agency. Besides advertising, John did sales and marketing for a number of Rochester area companies. For several years, he also was publisher of a group of local newspapers in the Finger Lakes Region. Sailing on Lake Ontario was a favorite pastime for John during the Rochester years.
In 1999, John and Joan retired to Whispering Pines. John enjoyed volunteering for Meals On Wheels and was on the board of the Department of Aging. He also served on the Board of Adjustments in Whispering Pines. Touring the country back roads of Moore County on his 1979 Honda motorcycle or sailing his Sunfish on Pine Lake were a relaxing way for him to spend an afternoon.
Wherever he was, John enjoyed greeting and talking with people. Whether at the Reservoir Park or Walmart, he was friendly with all and will be remembered for his good sense of humor.
John always loved dogs. However, when he and Joan were married, cats entered his life and he learned to love them too. There was always a mix of animals in the house, from Siamese cats to Great Danes.
“Bops” will be missed by his three grandchildren, “Woody” Bruno (Kristin), Michael and Ally Wood, and by his entire family.
