Bruce was married to Sue Sillman. She was a year behind us. They divorced, but I don't know if they had children. I also remember hearing he was somehow connected to a restaurant/Bar in Long Island City.
Bruce only had two brothers, no sisters. His brother lived around the corner from them and I believe they still live there. They live by Guttermans funeral home. I believe its Gateway. Thats all I know. Oh his sister in laws name was also Judy, a brother Brian and Alan. Thats their names.
I'm a bit surprised that two years have passed since Sept. 2013 and so many have just discovered and chosen to eulogize Bruce. I was so saddened to learn several months prior to our reunion of his passing in 2000 and then Ruthann Arbeit just the following year, each far far too soon. I mentioned them to many of our colleagues but no information came to light. Ruthann attended art school at Brown, Rhode Island School of Design and had a successful teaching career in Byfield, Mass. at the Melrose Public Schools. She'd given me an abstract painting and a beautiful sculpted head of a woman during our Oceanside years and was one of my dearest friends. I wanted to pass these works of art along to her children and eventually tracked down her brother David, class of '62. He told me that neither he nor Ruthann had children and that she had succumbed to cancer. I lived on Lakeview Ave. and Bruce just around the cornor on Greystone Rd. We were on the bus together each morning headed for School # 5 and he was an oustanding dodgeballer in the basement of that hallowed institution. Bruce worked a major paper route, maybe 100 customers with a huge basket attached to the front of his bike. Later it was neighborhood fall football in the streets and springtime pick up baseball usually at Southside High. He was much more than just the average good athelete. At our first reunion in '84 he told me that after a stint in the service he went to work for IBM and finally got his college degree, not sure which came first. It was wonderful seeing him then, laughing and reminiscing about growing up. After losing track for so long it was as though not a day had passed. He was a dear friend, neighbor and classmate. The in memory obituary I read in 2013 was shocking but no efforts to discover further information were successful. I do know that he had an older brother Brian. Rest in peace.
With heartfelt belated condolences to all the Popkos, Jim
At Doug's suggestion, I contacted Ken Geller by email to ask if he had any information he could share about Bruce's passing. I will let you all know if I hear back.
Your comments are profound and touching. Your big heart has not changed--that's what I remember about you! Bruce was a favorite of mine, beginning in 9th grade. His smile was contagious. Thanks so much for sharing your memories of Bruce.
I heard back from Ken Geller, and this was his response:
Bruce Statham told me Bruce Popko had died and the cause, but I can’t remember what Bruce told me. Unfortunately, Bruce Statham also recently passed.
So, unfortunately we are back to square one. I have a vague recollection of someone telling me that Bruce had had a heart attack, but here too, I can't remember who told me, or if in fact it was a heart attack.
Does anyone know if Bruce ever remarried after Susan Stillman, or if he had any children?
In total repect for Bruce, let me lighten the mood with a story about Bruce and Ronnie Monis, both deceased AOT brothers of mine. Bruce was running for a class office (VP I think) in the fall of '62.
As you may recall 2 unrelated facts of the day: 1)Soupy Sales was popular at the time, and 2) at lunch time in the cafeteria at OHS we played music on a phonograpgh (some people actually danced). As a capaign stunt for Bruce, Monnis walked up to the phonograph in the middle of a song, lifted up the arm to stop the music, and started shouting "I'm NOT voting for Popko, I'm not voting for Popko!!!" With that as a cue, I walked up, quoting Soupie with "OH leah", and hit Monis in the face with a shaving cream pie.
Okay, maybe not the most mature approach.....but I'd give anything to be able to re-live this with Bruce and Ronnie! May they rest in peace.
I think perhaps at this point we need to accept that we may never know what happened to Bruce, and just let it go. Many of us have wonderful memories of Bruce, and that's his legacy.
Good friends, Bruce and I. We were also Alpha brothers, along with his brother Brian. I just got an email from Peg LaTour Baldwin and explained how I found out Bruce had passed away. I'll let her share that with you. I can't deal with all these pop ups.
Priscilla O'Dea (Horan)
Bruce was married to Sue Sillman. She was a year behind us. They divorced, but I don't know if they had children. I also remember hearing he was somehow connected to a restaurant/Bar in Long Island City.
Judy Winkler (Adler)
Bruce only had two brothers, no sisters. His brother lived around the corner from them and I believe they still live there. They live by Guttermans funeral home. I believe its Gateway. Thats all I know. Oh his sister in laws name was also Judy, a brother Brian and Alan. Thats their names.
Douglas McNamee
Check with Ken Geller. He still lives in RVC and may have some knowledge of Bruce's passing.
James Schwab
I'm a bit surprised that two years have passed since Sept. 2013 and so many have just discovered and chosen to eulogize Bruce. I was so saddened to learn several months prior to our reunion of his passing in 2000 and then Ruthann Arbeit just the following year, each far far too soon. I mentioned them to many of our colleagues but no information came to light. Ruthann attended art school at Brown, Rhode Island School of Design and had a successful teaching career in Byfield, Mass. at the Melrose Public Schools. She'd given me an abstract painting and a beautiful sculpted head of a woman during our Oceanside years and was one of my dearest friends. I wanted to pass these works of art along to her children and eventually tracked down her brother David, class of '62. He told me that neither he nor Ruthann had children and that she had succumbed to cancer. I lived on Lakeview Ave. and Bruce just around the cornor on Greystone Rd. We were on the bus together each morning headed for School # 5 and he was an oustanding dodgeballer in the basement of that hallowed institution. Bruce worked a major paper route, maybe 100 customers with a huge basket attached to the front of his bike. Later it was neighborhood fall football in the streets and springtime pick up baseball usually at Southside High. He was much more than just the average good athelete. At our first reunion in '84 he told me that after a stint in the service he went to work for IBM and finally got his college degree, not sure which came first. It was wonderful seeing him then, laughing and reminiscing about growing up. After losing track for so long it was as though not a day had passed. He was a dear friend, neighbor and classmate. The in memory obituary I read in 2013 was shocking but no efforts to discover further information were successful. I do know that he had an older brother Brian. Rest in peace.
With heartfelt belated condolences to all the Popkos, Jim
Web Admin Terry Kaylin (Smith)
At Doug's suggestion, I contacted Ken Geller by email to ask if he had any information he could share about Bruce's passing. I will let you all know if I hear back.
Joan Fishman (Hecht)
Jim,
Your comments are profound and touching. Your big heart has not changed--that's what I remember about you! Bruce was a favorite of mine, beginning in 9th grade. His smile was contagious. Thanks so much for sharing your memories of Bruce.
Joan (Fishman)
Web Admin Terry Kaylin (Smith)
Hi everyone,
I heard back from Ken Geller, and this was his response:
Bruce Statham told me Bruce Popko had died and the cause, but I can’t remember what Bruce told me. Unfortunately, Bruce Statham also recently passed.
So, unfortunately we are back to square one. I have a vague recollection of someone telling me that Bruce had had a heart attack, but here too, I can't remember who told me, or if in fact it was a heart attack.
Does anyone know if Bruce ever remarried after Susan Stillman, or if he had any children?
Later,
Tee
Steve Roberts
In total repect for Bruce, let me lighten the mood with a story about Bruce and Ronnie Monis, both deceased AOT brothers of mine. Bruce was running for a class office (VP I think) in the fall of '62.
As you may recall 2 unrelated facts of the day: 1)Soupy Sales was popular at the time, and 2) at lunch time in the cafeteria at OHS we played music on a phonograpgh (some people actually danced). As a capaign stunt for Bruce, Monnis walked up to the phonograph in the middle of a song, lifted up the arm to stop the music, and started shouting "I'm NOT voting for Popko, I'm not voting for Popko!!!" With that as a cue, I walked up, quoting Soupie with "OH leah", and hit Monis in the face with a shaving cream pie.
Okay, maybe not the most mature approach.....but I'd give anything to be able to re-live this with Bruce and Ronnie! May they rest in peace.
Steve (CR) Roberts
Web Admin Terry Kaylin (Smith)
Thanks CR for sharing this fun memory!
I think perhaps at this point we need to accept that we may never know what happened to Bruce, and just let it go. Many of us have wonderful memories of Bruce, and that's his legacy.
Tee
Chip Hawkins (OHS '61)
Good friends, Bruce and I. We were also Alpha brothers, along with his brother Brian. I just got an email from Peg LaTour Baldwin and explained how I found out Bruce had passed away. I'll let her share that with you. I can't deal with all these pop ups.