ORFORD, NH — Bruce M. Schwaegler, 82, passed away Monday, October 28, 2019 at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care having lived a life generously highlighted with achievement, satisfaction, and recognitions with the major themes being family, work, public service and protection of our natural world. He was a “do-it-yourselfer” who always needed a project (the more complex the better), a risk taker, and someone who was always ready to try something new.

He was born April 23, 1937 in Dubuque, Iowa on the banks of the Mississippi River to Roy Schwaegler, a typesetter, and Bertha (Smith) Schwaegler a first-grade teacher. After graduating from Dubuque High School, Bruce attended Iowa State University and graduated from Duke University receiving the Rayonier Award as “Outstanding Student in Business Administration.”

After receiving his MBA from Harvard University, Bruce worked for 10 years at Filene’s Department Store in Boston. Later, he transferred to Bullock’s / Bullocks Wilshire Department Stores in Los Angeles for 8 years where, as president, he had responsibility for 26 stores in 3 states. Bruce also contributed his time to many non-profit organizations including Board Chair of Los Angeles branch of American Red Cross, founding co-Chair of Adopt-a-School Program Los Angeles Unified Schools–our nation’s second largest school System, Chair of Los Angeles Branch Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Chair Los Angeles Central City Association, Vice-Chair Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and founding trustee Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

By 1985, Bruce’s interests turned to a recently acquired property, the former Boy Scout camp on Indian Pond, with a 150-acre lake in Orford, NH. While the former Boy Scout camp included much of the shoreline and substantial parts of the watershed, the lake was vulnerable to unwanted development of the remaining watershed acres. Lucky timing brought those additional watershed acres to market and, within 6 months, Bruce and Sarah were able to acquire the remaining acres necessary to protect the pond.

Bruce loved the opportunity to manage the family’s forest land to high stewardship standards. He saw Indian Pond as a valuable natural resource first and foremost. Bruce was a board member of the NH Timberland Owners Association and on two separate occasions, Bruce served as Board Chair of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and then in 2006 served as its Interim President (seven months of volunteered service). In addition, Bruce Chaired the Loon Preservation Committee, served two terms on the NH Wetlands Council, served on the NH Forestry Advisory Board, helped create the NH Coverts program, and served on the Reservation Stewardship Committee of the Society for the Protection of NH Forests.

Bruce also spent countless hours helping many Upper Valley non-profit organizations. He sat on the board of Dartmouth Hitchcock Alliance (secretary), Upper Valley Community Foundation (chairman), Vital Communities (chairman), Visiting Nurse Alliance of Vermont and New Hampshire (chairman), and West Central Behavior Health.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sarah; child, Andrew (Victoria) Schwaegler; grandchild, Paul Schwaegler; brother, David Schwaegler; sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews who meant so much to him.

He was predeceased by an infant son; his parents; brother, Robert Schwaegler.

Bruce has requested no calling hours or memorial service. Instead, he has suggested that when family and friends otherwise gather, they take a moment along the way to remember some Bruce stories – especially those that bring a smile.

Memorial gifts can be made out to “NH Charitable Foundation”, 37 Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301 and directed to the “Native Plant Discovery Education Fund.”

His family would like to thank those doctors, nurses and others at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and the Jack Byrne Center for their loving care during Bruce’s three-month illness.

A full obituary is available at www.rickerfuneralhome.com.