Bruce Fraser
Apr 3rd, 2024
Bruce Fraser, 90, of South Yarmouth, and formerly of Longmeadow, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2024 at home.
Born in Scituate, MA, he attended local schools while growing up in Hingham. He learned to swim and sail at the Hingham Yacht Club in the 1940’s along with his two brothers Dave and Waldo. He graduated from Harvard University in 1955 with an Economics Degree. He then entered the U.S. Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant junior grade. He served four years on the Destroyer USS Harwood (DD-861) He earned a commendation letter for ship handling as “Officer of the Deck” in August of 1959, while the Harwood was alongside the aircraft carrier U.S.S Wasp providing aid during a serious fire.
Following his service in the U.S. Navy, he worked for New England Merchants Bank in Boston and then joined Mass Mutual Insurance Company in 1963 as a management trainee. He held many positions there and retired in 1993, as a Vice President & Managing Director of the Real Estate Investment Division. After retirement, Bruce, along with his friend and former co -worker Pat O’Shea, began a small real estate appraisal business in East Longmeadow.
He passed on his knowledge of Real Estate Appraisal, by teaching a class at the University of Mass and was also a past president of Better Homes for Springfield.
Bruce spent the last 30 years of his life living on Cape Cod. He loved to be near the ocean. He enjoyed sailing, daily walks, eating seafood, and sharing his home with family friends. He was a friend to many and will always be remembered as a kind and generous person.
He will be sadly missed by his wife Ann of South Yarmouth, his sons Andrew and wife Rachel of East Longmeadow, David and his partner Lyn of Westfield and four granddaughters Kristen, Elizabeth, Kayla and Abby. He will also be fondly remembered by Ann’s son Perry Beckett, his children Tucker and Torrie and son Bob Beckett and his partner Barbara Wolfe. He was predeceased by brothers Waldo and Dave and first wife Jean.
Services are private. There are no calling hours as was his wish.