Bruce Borylo

BRUCE LOHR BORYLO

03 Nov 1946 - 25 Mar 2025

Bruce Borylo, the beloved son of Walter and Emmie Ann Borylo (nee Lohr) of Westwood, New Jersey, passed away on March 25, 2025 at the age of 78. Bruce was predeceased by his brother Brian Borylo, but is survived by a mighty family of cousins: Dennis Callanan, Kathleen Callanan Lynam, Michael Callanan, Stacie Callanan Geller and Kerry Callanan DeThomasis as well as by Karen Bentley, his devoted girlfriend of several years.

Bruce was a 20-year resident of Westwood NJ, where he graduated from Westwood High School in 1964. Bruce ran on the cross country team during his entire high school experience. In his senior year, Bruce's varsity team won the NJ state cross country championship. As soon as he was old enough, Bruce began working and he never stopped. In middle school he delivered papers for Parker Newspaper, and in high school he delivered the Bergen Record newspaper. Bruce also worked at Floorshine Shoes in Westwood, where he developed a lifelong love for not only reading but stylish shoes. Larry DeCaro, Bruce's oldest and dearest friend, recalls that Bruce was always impeccably dressed.

In 1968 Bruce graduated with a teaching certificate from Montclair State Teachers College with a major in Social Studies. Bruce was an active member of Tau Sigma Delta Fraternity, and this developed into a rich brotherhood of lifelong connections. Post graduation, Bruce served for a year in Americorps VISTA where he participated in community service projects in Oregon, Washington state and Maine.

After being recruited by a friend, Bruce moved to Massachusetts and began his teaching career in the Haverhill school system. He spent about half his time as a history teacher at Haverhill High School and the other half as a history teacher at Greenleaf Whittier Middle School, where his students affectionately referred to him as "Mr. B." Former colleague and friend, Tom Jordan, says "He was the most well-read person of history I ever met, and it showed in his classroom. He was dynamic, organized and driven to make the events of the past mean something to his students." Bruce had a serious love for history and politics, and his head was almost always in a book on these topics. His personal library was dominated by an enormous collection of WWII history books. Bruce earned his master's degree from Salem State University in Salem, MA, which he attended while he was working full time as a teacher.

Bruce was supremely fit throughout his lifetime and was an accomplished tennis player, rock climber, biker, equestrian, and hiker. When Bruce was 74, he trekked the Salkantay Pass, a challenging 15,500 ascent on the way to Machu Pichu. Hands down, however, Bruce's great and enduring passion was fresh-water fishing. He loved to fish from any beautiful body of water, at any time of day, at any time of year when the water wasn't frozen.

Bruce was also an avid collector of many things. Firstly, he was a "car guy" who eagerly sought out car shows, car museums, and car races, and he was an especially proud owner of a vintage Miata convertible and a vintage Land Rover Defender. Bruce had magnificent decoy and bird collection that was on display on every shelf and surface space in his house. To honor and remember his brother Brian, Bruce continued the music, guitar and train collections started by Brian. And, of course, Bruce commemorated every event or memorable destination with a baseball cap or T-shirt, that ironically he never wore.

During his time in Massachusetts Bruce lived in three particularly picturesque, charming and vibrant cities: Marblehead, Newburyport and Amesbury. He was a lover of all animals, especially his two cats Gracie and Roscoe. Longtime Amesbury friend, Sonja Shine, remembers Bruce as someone who always offered a helping hand and even buried one of her cats. Most of all, Bruce was a wonderful and kind human being who was greatly loved by many and is sorely missed by all.

As per Bruce's request, family and friends are welcome to attend his Life Celebration on June 22, 2025 from 1pm to 3pm at The Polish Club at 14 1/2 Mill Street in Amesbury, MA. All are invited to share a memory or story about Bruce.