Dr. Charles F. Bruno

1936 - 2018

Dr. Charles F. Bruno, formerly of Westerly, R.I., died on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, N.J., surrounded by his loving wife and children. He was 82.

Born in Westerly, R.I., he was one of six children of James and Dominica Bruno. "Sonny" graduated from Westerly High and was one of "The Swish Kids". He was awarded a basketball scholarship to Roanoke College, where he met his wife, Carol. He went to Virginia Tech, where he earned an MS degree in both Microbiology and Nutrition and a PhD in Biochemistry. He lived in East Brunswick, N.J., for 55 years, where he was one of the founders of East Brunswick Little League and active in the Republican Committee. He had a passion for helping people, the environment, and animals; he especially loved dachshunds. Always a sports enthusiast, he played basketball and baseball, golfed, and bowled. In addition, he enjoyed watching his grandchildren's sports successes.

Charlie was a man of faith, a communicant of St. Mary's Church, New Brunswick, N.J., a member of the Knights of Columbus, and carried the Lady of Mount Carmel statue during the festival in Westerly, R.I.

Dr. Bruno was CEO/CTO of Polyorganic Technologies Corporation, an environmentally friendly products company in Cranbury, N.J., for the last 7 years. He was the founder of Quantum Consulting and Cell Products, Inc. He was Director of Fermentation at former E.R. Squibb & Sons for over 20 years.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Carol (Mareydt) Bruno; two sons, James Bruno and his wife, Patti, of East Brunswick, N.J., and Charles F. Bruno Jr. and his wife, Maura, of Edison, N.J.; four daughters, Jennifer Bruno and her husband, Michael Guadagno, of East Brunswick, JoAnne Bruno and her husband, Michael Murphy, of Bridgewater, N.J., Joyce Anderson and her husband, Scott, of Mt. Airy, Md., and Judi LaBranche and her husband, Matthew, of Wilbraham, Mass.; his sister, Sharon Jones, of Westerly, R.I., and 16 grandchildren.

Friends may visit on Sunday, Sept. 23 (TODAY) from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brunswick Memorial Home at 454 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, N.J. For directions, visit www.brunswickmemorialhome.com.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, Sept. 24 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of Mt. Virgin Church, New Brunswick, N.J. Entombment will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick, N.J.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org; or Girl Scouts of Central N.J., at www.gscsnj.org.