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Life story

" Bruce Raymond Hermann was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 23, 1943, the son of the late Raymond Otto Hermann and Marjorie Lucille Hermann. Bruce passed away peacefully on November 17, 2025, leaving behind a past of quiet brilliance, steadfast adoration for the love of his life, the late Margaret Ann (Hurley) Hermann, and a warm sense of humor that brightened the lives of those who knew him, including his sister, Patricia Joyce (Hermann) Rossiter; sister-in-law Elinor (Hurley) Gerock; brother-in-law William Hurley; and nieces, nephews, and other family and close friends, including his treasured neighborhood canine walking partner in recent years, Taco.

Bruce’s professional path was driven by a deep curiosity about how things work and the world beyond this planet. Though he modestly shrugged off the label, his work as an electrical engineer placed him squarely in the realm of “rocket science”. After all, he worked on projects that involved putting things like satellites into space; he even had a traineeship at NASA. Presented with such an argument, Bruce remained unconvinced, responding, not surprisingly, "ok, if you say so". After graduating from Downers Grove High School, Bradley University (B.S. in Electrical Engineering), Colorado State University (M.S. in Electrical Engineering), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering), Bruce began a long career with the Department of the Navy, where he was involved in the development of GPS technology (memorialized in publications and a patent). Asked about his GPS work, also not surprisingly, he didn't seem to think it was a big deal. Anyone who travels today knows, of course, that it is.

What Bruce did think was a big deal was his life and love with Margaret. Bruce and Margaret met in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they happened to share an office and immediately clicked. As Bruce described it, that was the start of a truly special relationship, one that blossomed into marriage in 1971 and continued for another 50 years. Together they set down roots, first in King George County and later in Fredericksburg, where Margaret’s collection of math books and cookbooks was rivaled, perhaps, only by Bruce’s collection of astronomy and model train magazines and notes about long-term financial investing, which was as much a hobby for him as it was practical planning. They enjoyed many peaceful mornings together, a favorite time of day — weekdays commuting before dawn to Dahlgren and weekends at Borders, then Barnes and Noble, and later Wegmans, a weekly routine Bruce continued himself, cheekily adding a daily ice cream cone to his routine that he knew would draw a side eye from his love.

As he wished, Bruce was cremated, and his remains will be kept with Margaret’s.

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations in Bruce and Margaret’s memory would be welcome to NARFE (the National Association of Retired Federal Employees) or the Central Rappahannock Regional Library."