Mpls - Age 75, of Mpls., died quietly on August 23 of previously unsuspected cancer. Raised in Michigan, Bruce attended East Lansing High School, where he began his lifelong relationship with his future wife, Pat Strandness. He subsequently attended Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School, and Harvard's Kennedy School of Public Policy, always graduating magna cum laude. He and Pat then moved to Minneapolis, where Bruce joined the law firm of Dorsey and Whitney. He soon became a valued partner in the Tax Department. Other partners sought his opinions, grounded in a penetrating understanding of the law. Though at times gruff in demeanor, Bruce was fiercely committed to his principles, and devoted to those he loved. He found great joy in raising his daughter Ruth who, like him, swam for her high school team, attended Harvard Law School, and then returned to Minneapolis to pursue a legal career. Governance, especially Democratic politics, remained an active interest of his. Bruce valued the Jewish faith of his upbringing but enjoyed celebrating other holidays as well. He generously supported educational institutions and local charities, including the library that he used heavily and The Food Group, a food shelf supplier where he served for a time on the board. A sports fan, Bruce held season tickets to the MN Timberwolves from their inaugural season and was a lifelong supporter of Michigan State University, where, in honor of his parents (Harold and Raynor), he endowed an annual award for an athlete performing exceptional community service. Bruce liked old clothes, baseball caps, blues music, butter pecan ice cream, red licorice, Nordic mysteries, political biographies, being punctual (or, better yet, early), telling stories with his booming voice, and long lake swims during his family's annual week in a rustic cabin on Burntside Lake. He had little interest in big cars, gardening, Brussels sprouts, or a tidy desk—once earning the Messiest Office Award from the law firm maintenance staff. Bruce is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia Strandness; his daughter Ruth along with her husband Stephen Friend and his granddaughter Lillian; and his brother, Marshall. Memorials may go to your local library or The Food Group.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 1 p.m. at the Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel (3600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis).