Bruce Elliott Hertz

BANGOR – On Saturday Oct. 30, 2021 Bruce Elliott Hertz, 78, died in Bangor where he had been in Hospice care.

Bruce was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sept. 6, 1943 and grew up in Freehold, N.J.

He graduated from Colby College in 1965 with a degree in political science.

In Bruce’s own words, from an essay he wrote for his 50th Colby Reunion book: “My greatest joy since, before, and during Colby College has been my life in and around the theater. Of course this elation came behind the happiness I enjoyed with my children and love-mate.”

Bruce wrote that he never took a theater course at Colby but instead “trickled into the crevices of theater” and acted in several productions on the Colby campus and at the Waterville Opera House. He writes “At Colby I didn’t know what I didn’t know. And that was all to the good for me.”

After graduation, Bruce served for three years in the U.S Army Intelligence Service. During this time, Bruce did some writing “about local things” in Geneva, N.Y., after which he “started a 34-year journey (not a career) in journalism. I never took a journalism course at Colby.”

During his 34 -year journalism journey here in Maine, he wrote many front-page stories for the Bangor Daily News and became the BDN bureau chief in the Skowhegan area.

During this time Bruce’s essay notes that while he was busy covering stories and writing, “I kept scratching that theater itch.” He enjoyed acting with local theater groups, particularly with The Cornville Players. He writes, “I was convinced I could be satisfied as a hobbyist. Hah! The Universe was coalescing.”

And it certainly was: for ultimately, Bruce became president of the Lakewood Theater corporation. Located on the shores of Lake Wesserunsett, Lakewood Theater is the nation’s oldest professional summer theater. “And before you could count the minutes, it was 18 years, more than 100 productions later. I had acted, directed and produced 50 or so shows in addition to being president of the corporation, publicity and marketing director, chief fundraiser, creator of a children’s theater camp, a children’s touring theater company, and opened a restaurant across the street from the theater.”

In 1990, Bruce married Ruth Kelleher Shacter (Colby 1966) of Wayne, Maine. He soon retired from the Bangor Daily News and from his role in the Lakewood Corporation. With this marriage, Bruce joined a large and loving Step-Family.

Surviving him and deeply missing him are David Shacter, Melita Marks Shacter and Siena Shacter of Marblehead, Mass.; Michael, Bridget, and Riley Shacter of Wayne; Drew and Emily Shacter of Richmond; Nancy and Elizabeth Forrest of Billerica, Mass.; and Gregory Forrest of Surry. Bruce was predeceased by his stepsister-in-law Annette Kelleher and his stepmother-in-law Tina Kelleher. Bruce’s stepfamily also welcomed Bruce’s beloved daughters Alexis Hertz Jones and Rachel Hertz Littlefield, their husbands, and Bruce’s four grandchildren from Orrington and Waldo. In time, this growing blended family led to an addition on the old house in Wayne to hold the family parties, which Bruce loved, and which often also included his stepsons’ dad, Brian Shacter of Cape Cod.

After his move to Wayne and his retirement, Bruce still kept very busy. He will be missed by many people who worked and played with him in his varied roles: Commissioner for the Maine State Museum for 7 years; avid member and promoter of the Augusta Tennis Club; scheduler and marketing adviser at Homecare for ME in Farmingdale, and long-time devoted member of Gaslight Theater in Hallowell, where he acted in and directed many plays. Bruce also continued his “journalism journey” as a freelance reporter for The Kennebec Journal.

Bruce loved his family, reading, his large book collection, the Wayne Village Library, home gardening and visiting public gardens, New York City and seeing Broadway shows, music and concerts, museums, baseball and the Red Sox, traveling, Acadia, movies, good food and dining out, birds (and feeding them), hats and more hats, wearing the loudest shirt in the room, parties, hearing other people’s stories and getting to know his neighbors, and his cat Chet and pet woodchuck Charles.

Bruce loved life, both on and off the stage and whether in or out of the spotlight. And he made his exit with grace, although much earlier than most of us would have preferred.

At a time that feels good, a gathering to celebrate the life of Bruce Elliott Hertz will likely coalesce.

After all, what is theater without the cast party when the run of the show is complete?