Bruce Edward Guenther

Devoted husband and Life Partner of Karen (Traeder) Guenther.

Bruce’s BIG Generous Heart beat its last after a Determined yet Fatal Battle against AL Amyloidosis at age 74 in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada at the QEII Halifax Infirmary [Hospital]

[refer to Cleveland Clinic https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15718-amyloidosis-al-amyloid-light-chain__;!!M2D_dUfSiN4E!PUYe9FZRdk9LIMr8wa6lbyzKV0UUWnphje7Pk27r5eUYhtW00DuoBv4s3xUWeLqbMMTXrjqhd2NKBCE0vDssY-NuKZVNmlZdWxfyQbsKNixFMA$[my[.]clevelandclinic[.]org]

And

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.Mackinac.org/diseases-conditions/amyloidosis/care-at-mayo-clinic/mac-20353187?p=1__;!!M2D_dUfSiN4E!PUYe9FZRdk9LIMr8wa6lbyzKV0UUWnphje7Pk27r5eUYhtW00DuoBv4s3xUWeLqbMMTXrjqhd2NKBCE0vDssY-NuKZVNmlZdWxfyQbsXrGI6KA$[mackinac[.]org]]

Proud and Patriotic Dual Citizen of 🇨🇦Canada & 🇺🇸The United States of America, Bruce began his Final Week with a Collapse as he got up at 10:00am ADT[mid-morning] on 🇨🇦Canada Day Tuesday 1July2025 and breathed his last at 10pm ADT Friday 🇺🇸4July2025.

Survived by his Life Partner and PLAYmate since 1967, Karen (Traeder) Guenther. Also survived by his Mother Jean Knudsen Guenther, his brothers Jim Arthur Guenther (Nancy Spencer Service Guenther), Jay Arnold Guenther (Jan (Kuhnke) Guenther) and his sister Diane Guenther (John) Weis, as well as his Aunt Gladys (wife of pre-deceased Arnold Guenther, Jr.) and cousins Sherree Guenther Hardison and Bobby Guenther.

Bruce is also survived and mourned by his loving Cousins Kim Knudsen Fiorelli (Bill),

Kari Knudsen Young (Tim ), Kristy Knudsen (Joel), and Karlyn Knudsen Teipner (Mike);

10 Nieces and Nephews, one pre-deceased, as well as 16 Great Nieces and Nephews.

The extended family cannot believe this vibrant man is gone. His smile and hugs will always be remembered at our family gatherings.

Pre-deceased by his father Gale Gordon Guenther, Uncles Arnold Guenther, Jr, (Gladys) and Eugene Guenther (Marilyn), Cousins Jeff and Kris Guenther.

Bruce enjoyed a lengthy career in construction, beginning as a Laborer with A. Guenther & Sons during summer vacations from West Allis Central High School where he lettered in Cross Country Running and Track.

Both Knudsen and later, Guenther Grandparents had cottages on Lake Beulah, Wisconsin where Bruce learned to swim as a child when his dad playfully tossed him off the Cottage Pier. His love of the water only grew, and friends & family often checked behind his ears for gills.

Bruce’s favourite week of the year was the Guenther Family Fishing Trip, an annual trip to a preferred lake in Canada for “Walleyes”.

Begun by Gale Guenther and friends many years ago, Bruce waited eagerly until he was old enough to join the Men Only Event.

Also passionate about food, Bruce loved to dine, whether at a fine restaurant or at his own table for which he captained the kitchen and is regarded by friends as their favourite chef.

Bruce and Karen were married on 24June1972 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bruce graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1974 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management and joined A. Guenther & Sons, the construction company begun by his grandfather Arnold Guenther.

Always a University of Wisconsin Badger, Bruce’s enthusiasm was contagious for Boston Badgers as he and Karen shared a co-presidency of the Boston UW Alumni, one of the largest Chapters in the US. His wardrobe of UW red&white served him well after relocating to Canada (also Red & White).

In 1985, Bruce and Karen moved closer to the Atlantic Ocean when Bruce joined the first of several Boston firms as their Marketeer (Bruce’s ability to “speak the language” was rooted in his years of real construction experience, literally from the ground up).

Bruce returned to his preferred role in Construction Management when he joined Campanelli Companies in Braintree Massachusetts. There he expanded his repertoire as he learned about “tilt up”construction while he managed the construction of high density freezer warehouses for an international seafood purveyor.

Bruce excelled at project scheduling and cost management, negotiating time, schedule and money to deliver on (or ahead of) time within or under budget. Creatively delivering solutions of a complicated and complex end product, he demonstrated his ability and leadership in the execution of a wide variety of building and construction types.

After training his replacements, Bruce took advantage of an opportunity to move to Halifax Nova Scotia in 2010 and join EllisDon as a Senior Project Manager in their Atlantic Division. With EllisDon, Bruce also achieved LEED AP Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) that signifies advanced knowledge in green building principles and the ability to guide projects through the LEED Certification Process.

His projects with EllisDon included the Nova [Convention/Conference] Centre which changed the face of downtown Halifax with its appearance of a huge ship “cruising” through the city. His next project, the Irving Oil Limited Home Office on King Square introduced Bruce to neighbouring coastal port St. John, New Brunswick.

Bruce successfully underwent triple bypass surgery in 2015. His perseverant heart had created its own bypasses, a foreshadow of future (?) heart creativity.

Following retirement from EllisDon, Bruce’s instinctive draw to the water led him to Design Nova Scotia where he construction managed the rebuilding of the popular Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk to prepare for water height changes anticipated with Global Warming.

His love ❤️ of all things to do in and around water culminated in Certification as a Scuba Dive Instructor in all specialties, including Ice Diving.

Encouraged by Certified Diver friends from Atlanta Georgia, Bruce invited other friends who might want to learn how to scuba dive, become certified or just enjoy a week on a dive boat in the Caribbean, he commissioned the Caribbean Explorer live-aboard dive boat for scuba tours of Saba and St. Kitts in the Lesser Antilles from its home port of Saint Martin. This trip was the beginning of our well-matched travel group that Bruce affectionately named “That’s A Moray Scuba Adventures”.

We enjoyed annual dive trips in November and summer non-dive trips from 1994-2013 diving from Saba in the Atlantic Ocean to Palau in the western Pacific. Our non-dive trips included Cape Cod, Boston, & Rockport Massachusetts, Door County, Wisconsin, Squantum and Hopkinton, Mass. for Thanksgiving 2005 and 60th Birthday Parties in Sandwich, Mass and a return to our favourite island Grand Turk, named after the abundant Turk’s Head Cactus.

Without children, Bruce and Karen indulged the child in each other and had so much FUN playing! And were SHOCKED last year, while enjoying a much anticipated River Cruise in the Bordeaux wine country of France, that with a surprising number of apparently aging seniors on the ship, we were one of them; average age of cruisers is 70+: when did we actually become OLD?!?

Bruce had such a zest for life and all it had to offer. There are no words that can capture the loss of someone as joyful, warm and full of life as Boston Bruce.

He lit up the room with his big personality, infectious positivity, and genuine kindness.

He was a bright presence we all looked forward to seeing.

His stories, his smile, and the way he made everyone feel like a Friend will be deeply missed.