Obituary of Bruce B Sawyer

Bruce Barton Sawyer, age 67 of Whitehouse Station, NJ died Friday, May 7, 2021 at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, NJ.

Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1953, Bruce was the son of the late George and Sarah (Quick) Sawyer. Bruce graduated from Brooklyn Tech High School in 1971 where he was a standout athlete in Basketball and Football. Bruce continued his education and athletic career at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA, graduating in 1975 with a degree in Biology. 

After graduation, Bruce moved back to New York City where he would meet his future wife, Marcia.  They later lived in Piscataway, NJ before moving to Whitehouse Station 27 years ago.

Bruce worked for Johnson and Johnson (J&J) for over 40 years, retiring in 2017 as a Senior Director in Supply Chain. Bruce lived and worked for J&J in New Jersey, Puerto Rico and California while also travelling to countless countries across Europe, Asia and Latin America supporting pharmaceutical manufacturing and his colleagues.

Bruce grew up as a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Brooklyn and later became a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Whitehouse Station. Bruce was also on the President’s Leadership Council at Lycoming College.

Bruce enjoyed fishing, listening to jazz music, collecting wine, traveling, and was an avid sports fan; Bruce was the #1 fan for his daughter Catherine and son Chris following their respective youth, high school and collegiate lacrosse careers with the passion of a professional sports fanatic. In recent years, Bruce’s greatest pleasure was spending time with his cherished granddaughter, Kensie.

Throughout the years, Bruce was a coach and mentor to many, from youth football and basketball teams to business executives, impacting and shaping the careers of numerous professionals across many industries. His candor, wit and practical approach were well respected and still consulted upon following his retirement from full-time work at J&J. To know Bruce is to know he took pride in “keeping it real”, making him a truly unforgettable leader.

Bruce is survived by his beloved wife of 39 years, Marcia; his daughter, Catherine Rowe and her husband, Bob of Toronto, Canada; his son, Christopher of London, England; and his granddaughter, Kensie Rowe. In addition, Bruce leaves behind an endless number of family, friends and loved ones around the United States and beyond.

A funeral liturgy will be celebrated on Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 9:30 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Whitehouse Station.

Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Kearns Funeral Home, 103 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse, NJ 08888.

Interment will be private.

The service at Our Lady of Lourdes Church will be livestreamed and can be viewed by following this link. https://www.njstreaming.com/brucesawyer   

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made through IN MEMORY OF at www.inmemof.org/bruce-b-sawyer for the benefit of the Adam J. Cirillo Scholarship Foundation at Brooklyn Tech. Funds will support the granting of scholarship opportunities to worthy and deserving Brooklyn Tech High School football players in their pursuit of a college education.