Robert MacKay

Robert "Bruce" MacKay passed away peacefully on January 11, 2026, surrounded by his family. Bruce was married to his beloved wife, Joanne (Hess), for nearly 60 years. He was the proud father of two children: Ryan and his wife Amanda MacKinnon, of Winchester, MA, and John and his partner Ashley Long, of Seattle, WA. He was the loving "Bampy" to his grandsons, Aiden and William, and "Bruce" to his granddaughter, Olivia. Bruce was pre-deceased by his brother Gordon MacKay. He had special relationships with his sisters-in-law Susan MacKay, Jane Macdonald, and Helen Ryan, and his brothers-in-law Alan Macdonald and Bill Ryan. He will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Bruce was born on February 3, 1942, in Medford, MA, to Doris and Allister MacKay. The family later moved to Winchester, MA, where Bruce met his future wife Joanne, had many adventures with his close friends, and graduated from Winchester High School in 1960. He attended Boston University for his undergraduate studies. He then obtained a Masters in Education from the University of Tennessee. Bruce was a lifelong student of history and enjoyed engaging in political discourse.

In 1966, Bruce and Joanne were married and moved to Berlin, NH where Bruce had accepted a position as a high school history teacher. He was revered by his students and worked tirelessly for those often overlooked by the educational system. During his tenure at Berlin High School, Bruce also served as Assistant Principal and Principal, eventually completing a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies and retiring as the Superintendent of the Berlin Public Schools System. Bruce was especially proud of the youth travel programs he created, allowing multiple generations of high school students to experience places like New York City, Scotland, and England for the first time. He also led the Berlin chapter of the Youth & Government program for many years. His dedication to education and his 35 years of leadership at Berlin High School made him a respected and valued member of the local community. Bruce served in the U.S. Army National Guard. He coached boys' youth and high school basketball for many years. He served as the President of the Rotary Club of Berlin. Bruce will be remembered as an educator and administrator who cared about his students first, while always giving back to his local community.

Bruce was an avid collector. Cataloging his antique lead soldiers, artwork, sports memorabilia and stamp and baseball card collections brought him hours of pleasure. He treasured sharing these collections with his family.

Bruce appreciated learning about the world through travel. Bruce and Joanne's adventures took them to many countries over the years. He was happiest spending time near the water. Cherished summers in Brewster, MA, many wonderful winters in St. Maarten, and later Florida, were filled with visits from family and friends. Perhaps Bruce's greatest joy came from spending time at his "Camp" in Errol, NH. Bruce and Joanne were forever hosting groups of friends and extended family at Camp for ski holidays and summer gatherings. He loved nothing more than sitting on the deck overlooking the water or spending endless hours driving the boat for his family to waterski. Bruce will be remembered as a caring husband, a proud father and grandfather, a man who centered his life around home and family, a true friend, and a person of utmost integrity. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation (https://donate.dtrf.org/campaign/734185/donate) c/o CliftonLarsonAllenLLP, 50 Tice Blvd, Suite 175, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677, or to Alzheimer's Association (https://events.alz.org/fundraisers/johnmackay) c/o P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.