ROBERT D. "BOB" BRUEN

1947 - 2014

Bruen, Robert D "Bob" Beloved son, brother, father, grandfather and husband Bob Bruen, 67, of Wilmington Vermont died peacefully on October 7 2014 following a brave battle with cancer at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend Vermont. Born in Melrose, Massachusetts in 1947 to Robert and Mary Bruen, Bob was raised in Malden with his two brothers and two sisters. A track star at Malden High School, Bob went on to Northeastern University with a track scholarship and held state records for decades. Bob earned advanced degrees from Harvard University, Boston University, Simmons College, and a PhD from Boston College. Bob had also been a resident of Newton, Massachusetts for most of his life before moving to Vermont. Before "computer" was a household word Bob visualized how data and process could be effectively managed through his work as a librarian at Northeastern University. Eventually entering the new field of Systems Administration, Bob brought his insight to ARCON Corporation, Sanders Associates (now BAE), and Perkin-Elmer Corporation. The bulk of his work occurred at M.I.T. in four different labs as the systems manager of the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department, Laboratory for Nuclear Science, Whitehead Institute Center for Genome Research, and the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems respectively. Bob's last position was at the MESO Atmospheric Research Forecasting and Research Center. His dedication to supporting systems that supported society was unparalleled. Also a passionate teacher, Bob instructed at Babson College, Merrimack College, Springfield Technical Community College, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and the University of Connecticut Storrs. Bob's scientific curiosity drove him to assist in the discovery of 36 new prime numbers for the Prime Internet Eisenstein Search (PIES) and document the history of the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics in his doctoral thesis. Bob also co-created Project KnujOn, an Internet compliance monitoring system, with his son Garth Bruen. Bob is survived by his mother Mary, brother Michael, sisters Kathie & Laura, son Garth, daughter in-law Eileen, grandsons Finnbar & Theodore, wife Virginia Secco, step children Christopher & Melissa, and step grand-daughter Jane Lindstrom. Bob was predeceased by his brother Steven and father Robert. A public, non-denominational memorial service for Bob will be held on Saturday November 1, 2014 at the Harvard University Memorial Sanctuary Church in Harvard Yard, Cambridge Massachusetts. The hall will open at 10:00 AM and the service will begin at 11:00 AM followed by an offsite gathering to be announced at the service. Bob's remains were donated to Harvard Medical School where his lifelong journey of education and discovery continues. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Grace Cottage Foundation, 185 Grafton Road Townshend Vermont 05353-0216.