BRUCE W. STEINER

1931 - 2024

STEINER, Bruce W. Bruce Watson Steiner, 92, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, died February 8, 2024 after a short illness. Born May 14, 1931 in Oberlin, Ohio, Bruce was the eldest child of Helen and Luke Steiner. He had two sisters, Joan and Ann. His father was chair of the chemistry department at Oberlin College, and Bruce followed in his footsteps, majoring in chemistry at Oberlin and completing his doctorate at Princeton. A fervent pacifist and advocate for human rights, he was a conscientious objector to the Korean War. He spent 1956 to 1958 in Israel, working for the American Friends Service Committee. That experience instilled in him a lifelong passion for that part of the world. Upon his return from Israel, he did postdoctoral work in physics at the University of Chicago. In 1960, he married Ruth Piette, and the couple moved to Washington, D.C., so he could take up a position at the National Bureau of Standards. The couple adopted a son, Jonathan, in 1970, and a daughter, Miriam, in 1973. Bruce and Ruth separated in 1994. Bruce then met Jim Anthony through a Quaker LGBT group. When Bruce retired, he relocated to Boston to live with Jim. Jim's Alzheimer's diagnosis saw the couple became outspoken voices for the experiences of Alzheimer's patients and the gay elderly. Following Jim's passing, Bruce found a new life partner, Bill Donavan. The two divided their time between Bruce's Sudbury home and Bill's city apartment, enjoying concerts, meals and social events. On February 8, 2024, Bruce died with Bill and Jim's nephew, Rob, by his side. Bruce had an indomitable spirit and an ebullient enthusiasm for anything that captured his interest. A scientist to his bones, his eyes often twinkled in wonder at the world around him. His most-used phrase was, "Isn't that marvelous!" A Memorial for Bruce will be held in Cambridge on May 19th.

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