Bruce Galbraith MacDermid, 66, passed away on March 28. Born May 12, 1947, to Robert G. MacDermid, Jr., and Betty W. R. MacDermid in Hartford, he was a life-long resident of the capitol area. His absence will always be felt by those to whom he was so loyal: his beloved family and friends, colleagues in the legal community, his affiliated academic and nonprofit institutions, and the many lives of those he touched.

He showed all the same generosity, modesty, and unending kindness. He graduated from the Loomis School (1965), Bowdoin College (1969), and received his commission from the Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island before serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Opportune as a lieutenant JG. Upon fulfilling his service, he enrolled in Boston University School of Law and graduated in 1975. Returning to Connecticut, Bruce began his distinguished law career and became a partner at Hoppin, Carey & Powell and later, Shipman & Goodwin. In 1992 he realized his vision to work independently, opening a solo practice in Hartford, known today as MacDermid, Reynolds & Glissman, PC.

Bruce’s career was a commitment to service. Colleagues and clients will remember him for the qualities one hopes to find in the best of friends: integrity, compassion, and dedication. These were the principles of his firm and forever his legacy. Under his stewardship, MRG initiated an annual service project, which focused on serving the Asylum Hill community, delivering food and gifts to families in need. Bruce himself was a literacy volunteer, a regular blood donor for the Red Cross, and an avid fundraiser and supporter of his alma maters.

He hiked, canoed, and split logs for the fireplace. He gazed in wonder at the osprey platforms he erected in Guilford, and enjoyed sailing the Long Island Sound. In each he adored solitude, but welcomed the company of others. A natural athlete, he was competitive on tennis, paddle, and squash courts, but equally likely to visit the batting cage, where he would swing righty, then lefty. He ran seven marathons, including the Boston, in under three hours. His greatest games were inventions of golf clubs, Frisbees, and empty cans.

Bruce’s virtues were seen in his gentleness. Animals and children trusted him. He advocated for others’ needs, always before his own. When he took, it was people’s stories-their backgrounds, their likes, what he could learn from them. Bruce’s sense of humor was youthful, and his laughter came easily. He listened to music passionately, and was always first to applaud performers. And he played, too, picking on his guitars with quiet tenderness.https://www.redcross.org. The Guilford Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit www.GuilfordFuneraHome.com.

He is survived by the love of his life, Betsy (née Mallory), wife of 44 years; their sons Trevor and Chad; daughter-in-law Courtney Brecht and grandson, Angus; and the children of his late brother Robert G. MacDermid, III, MD, Todd MacDermid and Torey MacDermid Wodnick and their three children. Bruce also leaves the three generations of Mallorys who surrounded him as a loving second family.

A memorial service will be held at the Chapel at Loomis Chaffee School on April 5 at 11:00 a.m. Donations in Bruce’s memory may be made to the Connecticut Chapter of the Red Cross,