STANDISH – Bruce Arthur Lyons, 72, passed away on October 14, 2023, at Gosnell House in Scarborough, after a very courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in Skowhegan, on Oct. 17, 1950, the son of the late Arnold and Grace (Stoodley) Lyons. Bruce graduated from Skowhegan Area High School in 1969, from the University of Maine (Orono) in 1973, and from EMVTI (EMCC) in 1983. He then worked as an assistant electronics engineer for Fairchild Semiconductor for 26 years from 1983-2009.

On June 28, 1975, he married his high school sweetheart and love of his life – Pauline Morin. They resided in Skowhegan until 1984 when work took them to southern Maine. They lived in Portland and Buxton until 1993 when they moved to Standish.

Bruce loved the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing on Maine’s lakes and ponds, camping in Maine and across the country, hunting for moose and deer, gardening, and listening to song birds. Reading the comics and sports news (especially football) was his morning routine with several cups of coffee. He enjoyed all these activities with his wife and best friend. They were “two peas in a pod.”

In retirement, they spent several winters in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Venice, Fla. They traveled all over the U.S. and eastern Canada, camping and enjoying the scenery, national parks, and historic places. His boyhood dream was to take a camping trip across the northern part of the U.S. to visit Yellowstone. This was accomplished in 2019. They flew to Hawaii (Oahu and Maui) for their 40th anniversary in 2015. Wine tasting in the Finger Lakes Region of New York was a favorite fall activity. Other trips were taken to Aruba and the U.K.

He also loved spending time with his family and friends. Bruce was a kid at heart and spent many family outings playing with the kids, especially in a swimming pool. He was a founding member of the OLD Fisherman’s Association of Reel Trollers group (the OLD FARTS). They could count on him to organize their annual fall fishing trips and maintain a web site that he created of their adventures. 

Fresh squash pie (instead of birthday cake) and toll house cookies were his favorite desserts. He loved cooking bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast and making popcorn over an open campfire.

Bruce had an inner joy that attracted people from all walks of life to immediately become his close and personal friend. He always said, “I was put on this earth to make people laugh.” He had a wonderful smile and a very expressive face. He could tease you in a way that made you laugh.

Bruce was predeceased by his parents Arnold and Grace (Stoodley) Lyons of Skowhegan.

He is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 48 years, Pauline.

Two siblings survive him: his brother Theodore Lyons (Kathy) of Hollidaysburg, Pa.; and his “favorite” sister Nancy Schubach (Carl) of Lowville, N.Y.

Bruce never had any children of his own. He always referred to his nieces and nephew as “my kids”: Kimberly Quinn Hutchinson (Ian) of South Portland; Karin Brown (Hal) of Norridgewock; Kathy Vandegrift (Billy) of Shingle Springs, Calif.; Stephanie Powlin (Mike) of Penfield, N.Y.; Michael Schubach (Didi) of Lock Haven, PA; Alison Dening (Darrell) of Oneonta, N.Y.; and many great and great great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his godchild Emily Jackson of Otisfield.

An informal memorial luncheon to celebrate Bruce will be held from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday, October 28, at Governor’s Restaurant, 376 Main Street, Waterville, ME 04901. Dress casually and comfortably and bring memories to share.

To view Bruce’s memorial page or to share online condolences, please visit http://www.mainefuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route 1, Scarborough, ME 04074 for their support and comfort of Bruce during his final days.

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