Bruce S. Bak

HOLDEN –Bruce S. Bak, 68, of Surrey Lane, died Tuesday, January 4, 2011, in UMass Memorial Health Care, University Campus, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

He leaves his wife of 43 years, Geraldine "Gerrie" M. (Mann) Bak; a son, Peter G. Bak of Boston; two daughters, Katherine R. Connor and her husband Philip of Holden and Julia E. Patnode and her husband Thomas of Olathe, Kansas; a sister, Susan Piziak and her husband Ronald of Southampton; six grandchildren, Erin, Andrew and Kerry Connor, and Jonathan, Joseph and Caroline Patnode; nieces and nephews. He was born in Easthampton, the son of Stanley S. and Dorothy (Kvitek) Bak, and lived in East Longmeadow before moving to Holden in 1982.

Bruce graduated from Easthampton High School, Merrimack College in North Andover, and received his Master's Degree in Chemistry from the University of Vermont, Burlington. He was a staff chemist for NovaCor Chemical Co. for 28 years retiring in 2005. Bruce was a member of St. George's Church in Worcester and its men's club, and the American Chemical Society. He was an avid fly fisherman and was a member of the New England Fly Tier's Association.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 6th at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. The funeral will be held Friday from the funeral home with an 11:30 Mass of Christian Burial at St. George's Church, 38 Brattle Street, Worcester. Burial will be private at St. Mary's Cemetery in Northampton. In lieu of flowers please send donations to: Movement Disorders Unit- Department of Neurology c/o Dr. John Growdon Wang ACC, 15 Parkman Street, Suite 835, Boston, MA 02114, or St. George's Church, 40 Brattle Street, Worcester, MA 01606.

To share a memory or offer a condolence please visit:
www.milesfuneralhome.com