Elizabeth Morrison Dow Bruck, a former resident of Winchester, MA, died peacefully November 25, 2011, at her residence in Tulsa, OK, at age 86.
She was born June 17, 1925, in Minneapolis, MN, the daughter of Clarence Arthur Dow and Uzerle Morrison Dow. Her father was an electrical engineer and executive at Northern States Power Company. The family lived in Eau Claire, WI, and Montevideo, MN, before returning to Minneapolis, where Liz attended St. Louis Park High School. Liz was graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College in 1947, where she was president of the Mortar Board Society and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
On August 23, 1947, she married Robert Henry Bruck of Portland, OR, whom she had met while he was attending Navy flight-training school nearby. They lived in Corvallis, OR, while Bob earned his degree in electrical engineering at Oregon State University, and moved to Portland when Bob began work for the US Army Corps of Engineers and Liz became a social worker helping young families. In 1961 Liz and Bob and their two young daughters moved to McLean, VA, when Bob was promoted to Corps headquarters in Washington, DC. On Bob’s retirement in 1982, an offer from an engineering firm in Boston took them to Winchester, MA, which they made their home for 26 years. In 2008, five years after Bob’s death, Liz moved to an assisted living center in Tulsa, OK, near her daughter.
Liz was smart, well-read, well-traveled, and intellectually curious. She was an anthropology docent for many years for the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, a 61-year member of the PEO Sisterhood, and a long-time member of Winchester’s charitable En Ka Society. She was a lifelong gardener, avid golfer and bridge-player, accomplished seamstress, and genealogist of professional caliber.
Liz embodied the characteristics of a genteel and gracious lady, who was genuinely interested in others. All her life she made a happy and loving home for her family, and she took care of her husband Bob with steadfast devotion throughout his declining years.
Everyone loved Liz for her cheerful disposition, her enthusiastic attitude, and her loving nature. Liz is survived by daughters Robin Hernandez of Tulsa and Becky Wolf and her husband Dave of Atlanta, grandchildren Jonathan, Christina, Danny and Tommy, and great-granddaughter Rayne. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Bob of 56 years, her sister Mary Church, and brother David Dow.
Her Funeral Service will be held on Monday, December 5 at 11 am at Parish of the Epiphany, 70 Church Street, Winchester. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Interment will follow in Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to New England Historic Genealogical Society at www.americanancestors.org/give or to the PEO Foundation to support scholarships for women at donations.peointernational.org