Bruce Smith Obituary

Massena, NY. Dr. Bruce Taylor Smith Jr. (87), of Massena, NY, passed away on October 3, 2023 at the North Country Nursing and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by his loving family. Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Phillips Memorial Home, 64 Andrews Street Massena, NY. Bruce was born in Syracuse, NY to Dr. Bruce Smith and Elin Macartney Smith on April 13, 1936 and grew up in Fort Covington, NY. He was a member of the class of 1957 at Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. Bruce then attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, earning his medical degree in 1960. In 1970, after a decade as a General Practitioner in Massena, Bruce returned to McGill for an ophthalmology residency. From 1973-1997, he had a private ophthalmology practice in Massena. He was a longtime member of Massena Rotary and served the Massena Memorial Hospital as a Board member and as Chief of Staff. Bruce is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Rosalie (nee Kent). They have three devoted children: Catherine Smith, Hamilton, ON, Stephanie (Mark) Luebbers, Princeton, MA, and Andrew (Melissa) Smith, Ithaca, NY. Bruce has the special love of eight grandchildren: Karen and Stephen Gross, Jonas and Max Luebbers, and Mia, Kevin, Scott, and Nathan Smith. He is also survived by his dear brother Dr. Robert (Carolyn) Smith, Massena and was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Douglas Smith. Anchored by the Adirondacks and the St. Lawrence River, Bruce was an avid outdoorsman who loved skiing, hiking, paddling, road cycling, and hunting, always with family and friends. He is a past member of the Massena Yacht Club and the Stillwater Club. Bruce, a lifelong hockey player, was a defenseman on his high school's state championship team. He was also a key member of the Hamilton and McGill teams before playing for years in the Old Timers' league in Massena. In 2002, at age 65, he was a valuable teammate on the gold medal-winning team at the National Senior Olympic Hockey Championship, in Lake Placid, NY. During retirement, he especially enjoyed traveling adventures with Rosalie to St. John, USVI and throughout the United States in their RV. Bruce was a gentleman and a gentle man who cared deeply about his community and his family. He will be remembered for his wisdom, his character, his playful nature with his family, and his smile. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Massena Hospital and the North Country Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their care over the weeks before his passing. Memorial contributions in Bruce's honor can be directed to the Massena Hospital Foundation, Trinity Catholic School, Massena, or North Country Public Radio. A private burial service for immediate family will take place at St. Lawrence Church in Louisville, NY. Family and friends are invited to share on-line condolences and memories at www. PhillipsMemorial. com