William S. Bruno, 91
Dateline: Mattapoisett, MA
William Salvatore Bruno passed away on July 30, 2025 at the age of 91 at his home in Mattapoisett, MA, surrounded by his loving wife of sixty-two years, Ann (McMorrow) Bruno, and their five children, Julie (Bruno) Vasil, Beth (Bruno) Oberlander, Paul Bruno, David Bruno, and Maria Bruno. William is survived by his wife and children, their spouses Steve Vasil, David Oberlander, Ann Lightcap Bruno, and Caroline (Gallagher) Bruno, his grandchildren Henry Oberlander, Cal Oberlander, Oscar Bruno, Isabella Bruno, Ada Bruno, Lucy Vasil, Juliana Bruno, Clara Bruno, and William T. Bruno, as well as many nieces and nephews. William’s generosity, wit, charm, kindness, and love will continue to endure in the memories of all who were lucky enough to know him.
Born in Mansfield, MA on February 19, 1934, William was the youngest of seven children born to Salvatore and Orsola (Cutillo) Bruno who immigrated to the United States from Candida, a village in the province of Avellino, Italy. He is preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Madeline (Bruno) Galvani, Francis Bruno, Carmella Bruno, Christina (Bruno) Salachi, Clara (Bruno) McClellan, and Anthony Bruno.
After graduating from Mansfield High School in 1952, William had a brief stint as a sportswriter for the Mansfield News before enlisting in the Army and serving in the Korean War. Following his military service, William enrolled at Bridgewater State University from which he earned a BS in 1959 and an M.Ed. in 1962. He began his long career in education as an elementary school teacher in Foxboro and later became the principal of the Assawompsett Elementary School in Lakeville, MA, the Lillie B. Merrill Elementary School in Raynham, MA, and the Holy Name School in Providence, RI. When asked what the secret was to working for so many years with children, he replied, “You just have to love them.” William often spoke of feeling extremely blessed to have spent his career working in schools where education was respected and appreciated by the students, parents, faculty and administration. He was a member of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, National Education Association, Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association, and the MTA Board of Directors. In Mansfield, William served on the School Committee and was a member of the Building Committee which oversaw construction and expansion of school buildings in town. After his years as an educator, William was an independent sales representative for William H. Sadlier Publishers. Into his eighties, he was a fixture at the Bay Club in Mattapoisett, working in Outside Operations doing all manner of jobs from driving golf carts to shining shoes. He referred to his Bay Club work as “the best retirement job a man could have.”
Over the years, William enjoyed mentoring young athletes as a coach and referee. As an eighteen-year-old, he managed the first Little League champions of Mansfield in the league’s inaugural season, and later on, he managed his children’s baseball teams as well. He coached JV basketball for Foxboro High School and officiated football, baseball, and basketball for both high school and youth leagues. In the summers, as an additional side hustle, he had a business called Willie Dogs and sold hot dogs at various venues in the Mansfield area and beyond.
He loved music. At any given moment, one might walk into a room and hear William crooning along to Frank Sinatra or Celene Dion. At seventy-four years of age, he became a member of the choir at the First Congregational Church in Marion where he joyfully sang in the Christmas Cantata. During this same time, he was active in the Harpoon Harmonizers, a barbershop quartet ensemble in New Bedford. In addition to spreading good cheer as a singer, William also made a positive impact in his community as a volunteer at Damien’s Food Pantry and as a eucharistic minister at Tobey Hospital.
William’s greatest joy in life was gathering with his large, spirited, close-knit family – which often also included nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, in-laws, neighbors, and friends. At casual meals and festive parties alike, he led prayers of thanks to God for “this beautiful meal and this beautiful family.” He cultivated the importance of gratitude, hard work, faith, and food, all of which were central to the Christmas Eve Vigilia celebrations he and his wife hosted for years. An excellent cook, he regularly put together sumptuous pasta dinners and pizza parties for his faculty and staff; upon his retirement, it was fitting that the Merrill School cafetorium was named in his honor. The feasts at which William presided in Mattapoisett, where he and his wife have lived full-time for the past twenty-five years after spending summers there since the 1960s, featured his culinary specialities: clambakes, stuffed quahogs, clams casino, meatballs, pizza, and beef braciole, to name a few. Beyond food-related gatherings, William loved cheering on his grandchildren at sporting events and writing them notes of encouragement throughout their lives, as well as slipping them each a dollar at family events. As “Dad” and as “Nonno” he loomed large in the lives of his children and grandchildren (despite his diminutive stature), creating a legacy of goodness, meaningful work, and devotion.
William’s oft-quoted sign-off was “Peace and love.” Another favorite was, “Just be kind and love one another.” To William, these expressions, though simple, were the essence of who he was and how he lived his life.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours on Thursday, August 7th from 4:00-7:00 P.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 North Main Street, Mansfield.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, August 8th at 11:00 A.M. in Saint Mary’s Church, 330 Pratt Street (Route 106) Mansfield. Burial, accompanied by military honors will follow at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Mansfield.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Nativity Preparatory School of New Bedford, 66 Spring St. New Bedford, MA 02740, or to Community Nurse, 62 Center St. Fairhaven, MA 02719 or at CommunityNurse.com.
To send his family a message of condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com