Obituary of Lorraine Victoria Bruce

Lorraine "Vickie" Bruce, of Mountain Lakes, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. Born in San Francisco, CA to Anthony and Harriett Barbaro, Vickie was raised in San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA. She graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a BA and from Nova Southeastern University with a MA. She moved to New Jersey in 1989. Vickie was a gifted educator and touched the lives of many students between kindergarten and high school. Students were uniquely impacted by her innovative interest in computer education. She taught in California, Maryland and New Jersey, within the East Hanover and Montville schools, before her retirement in 2010. She was an active member of the NJEA, often attending conventions to advance education nationwide. Vickie had a strong love of adventure and travel. As a young teacher she spent summers in Hawaii as a camp counselor and enjoyed many family camping outings. She traveled Europe with her husband, first by backpack as newlyweds, then often in retirement. She loved to be by the water either kayaking, on a beach or just cruising. She was often between west and east coasts, visiting her daughter and grandchildren in San Diego or taking frequent trips into New York City to visit her youngest daughter. Surviving are her beloved husband of 43 years, Michael Bruce; devoted daughters, Kristi Florence and her husband Dave, and Kari Bruce and her fiancé Kevin Parvaresh; loving grandchildren, Jakob and Madison Florence; along with her extended family and numerous friends. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 10:00am at St. Catherine of Siena R.C. Church, 10 N. Pocono Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046. Arrangements in care of the Codey & Mackey Funeral Home of Boonton, NJ. To share a memory or extend condolences, please visit www.codeymackeyfh.com. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Vickie's memory to One Heart For Haiti ("Giving the Gift of Hope through Education"), 54 Barbara Street, Newark, NJ 07105.