Bruce Frank Haney died at age 80 in Powell, Ohio, on May 4, 2023. Bruce was a wonderful husband, father, professor, leader and friend who touched the lives of many. He was kind, loving, funny, dependable, handy, generous with his time and was a role model for young men who knew him.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Nancy Green Haney; his children, Lynette, Kevin (Denise) and Brian (Sonia); and his grandchildren, Rachel, Laura, Vincent, Nathan, Claire, Brooke and Zachary.
Bruce was born on Nov. 8, 1942, in Elmira Heights, N.Y. He is a 1960 graduate of Thomas A Edison High School in Elmira Heights. After high school, Bruce went to the State University of New York at Albany to earn a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1964. He stayed at Albany for a master’s degree in mathematics in 1965. He married Nancy Green on Aug. 6, 1966, and moved to Fulton, N.Y. After a brief time on the Phoenix High School faculty, Bruce started what would be his lifelong career at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. Bruce served as a calculus and statistics professor at OCC for 37 years. During that time he held distinguished posts and was chairman of the mathematics and computer science department, overseeing significant growth in both departments. He earned the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1995, and was president of the New York State Mathematics Association for Two-Year Colleges.
Shortly after starting at OCC, Bruce and Nancy settled in Baldwinsville, where they lived for the majority of their lives. It was in Baldwinsville that they joined Grace Episcopal Church and raised their family. He served significantly in the church, as a lay minister, choir singer, youth group chaperone and in multiple appointments to the church vestry. He and Nancy wrote and performed original songs for the annual spaghetti supper and he volunteered in the pit for the chicken barbecue every summer.
With his family, Bruce was involved with VGAAC Little League, Cub Scouts, the Community Band and the Baldwinsville Optimist Club. His favorite activities with the Optimist Club were the annual Christmas tree sale at River Mall on Downer Street, the Halloween window painting and leading the scholarship committee which donated money to a Baker High School senior. He was honored with a “Lifetime Member” award from the Optimists. Bruce was so impactful in the community that he was named the Baldwinsville Man of the Year in 1988 by the chamber of commerce.
Bruce retired from OCC in 2004. Upon his retirement, he and Nancy began to travel significantly to all parts of the world. Also in his retirement, Bruce combined his love of travel with his love of trains to create a garden railway in his backyard. He joined the Central New York Large Scale Railway Society, and participated in all of their garden railway showcases, including the construction of a huge layout in the Burdick Drivers Village in Camillus.
One of Bruce’s great joys was his family. He celebrated 50 years of marriage with Nancy in 2016 with many of their family and friends in attendance. He deeply enjoyed raising his children, Lynette, Kevin, and Brian and was very involved in many of their activities. In 2021, Bruce and Nancy moved to Powell, Ohio, to be closer to Lynette and Kevin. It was sad for them to leave their friends and history in Baldwinsville after 52 years.
Shortly before his retirement, Bruce first found that he was suffering from a meningioma that would ultimately lead to his death. He faced significant medical treatments and procedures with an amazingly-positive attitude and strong spirit willing to continue the fight. His family marveled at how he never let this impact his happy outlook. After a brief stay in a nursing home in Powell, Bruce passed quietly and peacefully surrounded by his family.
A service will be held in late May at St. Patrick’s Church in Dublin, Ohio. Please visit this link to see his obituary and offer any comments for his family. Condolences to rutherfordfuneralhome.com.
