Bruce H. Stevens

A Life of Music, Craftsmanship, and Conviction

Bruce H. Stevens, 75, of Wells River, Vermont, passed away Friday, October 16, leaving behind a lifetime of music, beautifully restored instruments, cherished friendships, and a family who will miss him dearly.

Born in 1951 and raised in Rochester, New Hampshire, Bruce was one of six children in the Stevens family. Growing up in a large family meant there was never a shortage of personalities, opinions, or good conversation. Bruce certainly had his share of all three.

After graduating from Spaulding High School in 1969, Bruce attended the University of New Hampshire, where he earned a degree in Botany with a minor in Music in 1973. He spent two years teaching in the Dover, NH, school system before deciding that New Hampshire was no longer the place for him. Bruce had his convictions, and he wasn't particularly interested in compromising them. Vermont offered something that appealed to his independent nature, and he made the move north, first to Bradford and eventually to Wells River, where he would build a life filled with the things he loved.

For Bruce, working with pianos and reed organs wasn't simply a job. It was a calling. He possessed a combination of musical talent, mechanical curiosity, patience, and craftsmanship that allowed him to take an instrument others might have given up on and restore it to its former glory.

Alongside his longtime employee and dear friend of 30 years, Matt Sargent, Bruce restored countless pianos and reed organs. He was especially fond of player pianos, whose complicated inner workings fascinated him. To Bruce, every instrument was worth understanding, every problem had a solution, and the satisfaction of hearing a beautifully restored piano play again was worth the effort it took to get there.

And sometimes that effort was considerable. On one occasion, Bruce traveled to the coast of Maine, boarded a ferry to an island, retrieved a piano from a customer's home, and transported it all the way back to Vermont for restoration. Months later, when the work was complete, he made the journey again to return the instrument. To most people, that might have seemed an extraordinary amount of trouble for a single piano. To Bruce, it was simply what needed to be done.

His love of music extended beyond his workshop. For more than 45 years, Bruce served as organist at the Wells River Congregational Church. He also performed hundreds of free piano and organ concerts throughout the Upper Valley. Music was something Bruce loved and sharing it with others was one of the ways he expressed that.

But Bruce's contributions weren't limited to music. He served on the Blue Mountain Union School Board for more than 30 years, many of them as chairman. He was an active Rotarian and frequently volunteered for local charitable organizations. He cared about his community and believed that being part of it meant doing your share to make it better.

Those who knew Bruce understood that he was a man of strong opinions and equally strong commitments. He wasn't someone who followed a particular path simply because it was the expected one. He chose his own direction, pursued what mattered to him, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the people, interests, and responsibilities he valued.

Bruce was predeceased by his parents, William Lloyd Stevens and Jeannette (Woodes) Stevens.

He leaves behind his five siblings: Bradford W. Stevens and his wife, Lorraine "Rainy" (Gray) Stevens; Beverly (Stevens) Kimball and her husband, John Kimball; Barry Stevens and his wife, Gloria (Haycock) Stevens; Barbara (Stevens) Xenos; and Brian Stevens. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, whom he loved a great deal.

When someone like Bruce leaves us, it's tempting to measure his life by the things he accomplished: the instruments restored, the concerts performed, the years spent serving his community. And by any of those measures, Bruce lived a remarkable life.

But perhaps his greatest legacy is that he spent his years doing what he truly loved, remaining faithful to his convictions, and sharing his talents with the people around him.

He built a life that was uniquely his own. And those of us fortunate enough to have been part of it will remember him with love, admiration, and gratitude.

Bruce lived life on his own terms, with a quiet kindness, an independent spirit, and a healthy dose of what he liked to call "Yankee stubbornness." He never sought the spotlight, despite his considerable talents and accomplishments. He simply believed in doing things well, standing by his convictions, and giving back to the community he loved. His legacy lives on in the beautiful instruments he restored, the music he shared, and the countless lives he touched along the way.

He will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, and the community that became his home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bruce's memory to the Blue Mountain Union School Music Program, 2420 Route 302, Wells River, VT, 05081.