Obituary of Mary L. Bruce

Mary Louise Gorham Bruce

Of Williamsville, NY, died June 8, 2020. Beloved daughter of the

late Gladys Berry Gorham and William Wallace Gorham

of Fort Erie, Ontario. No visitation. Private Burial in

St. John's Cemetery, Ridgemount Road, Fort Erie, Ontario.

Memorial contributions may be made to the WNY Gluten Free

Diet Support Group, PO Box 1835, Williamsville, NY 14231.

Mary began her career in Toronto, working for the Canadian Press as Secretary to the Assistant General Manager. From there, she was assigned to the New York Bureau of the Canadian Press, where she worked in Rockefeller Center as Secretary to the Bureau Chief. She entered the US at Buffalo in 1946 when she married and American soldier and came into the country as a war bride. 

She was a legal secretary for many years in the law firm of Morley C. Townsend and Robert E. Lipp. In 1970 she, she joined the Erie County Savings Bank and became Administrative Assistant to the President and Chairman of the Board Harlan J. Swift and Howard T. Ford. Later she was elected Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

Mary previously served as President of St. Simon's Altar Guild, Director and First Vice President of the Buffalo Chapter of Professional Secretaries Association (now IAAP), clerk of the Vestry of Calvary Episcopal Church in Williamsville and the Board of the WNY Gluten Free Diet Support Group.

She was named Secretary of the Year by the Buffalo Chapter of Professional Secretaries International in 1979.

After retirement, Mary volunteered for many years in the gift shop at Beechwood Residence.