Bruce H. Walker Sr.

 SOUTHAMPTON  -  Bruce Huntress Walker, Sr., 86, a 50 year resident of Southampton, passed away on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at his home, surrounded by his wife and members of his loving family. Bruce was born in Chicopee, MA, on February 25, 1936, a son of the late John B. and Esther (Hoar) Walker. Bruce spent his youth in Chicopee, graduating from Chicopee High School with the class of 1953. He was chosen by American Legion Post 353 to be the BOY’S STATE REPRESENTATIVE in 1952. In 1953 he then moved to Pittsfield, MA where he enrolled in the Draftsman Apprentice Program at General Electric Co. In 1957 he began work as an Engineering Trainee at GE’s Transformer Division. Bruce served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 8 years, from 1954 to 1962. He transferred to Scranton, PA in 1962 to work as an Optical Engineer/Lens Designer for GE. He then transferred to Syracuse, NY in 1965 where he was advanced to work for GE as Sr. Optical Engineer/Lens Designer. In 1968 he joined the staff of Laurin Publishing in Pittsfield, MA as author and editorial advisor. This work led to the publication of 35 articles and eventually two textbooks dealing with optical engineering. In 1971 he left GE, to join the engineering staff of Diffraction Limited Optics, Inc. in Bedford, MA. In 1972 he then joined the engineering department of Kollmorgen Co. in Northampton, MA. He worked there for 20 years, 10 years as a Sr. Optical Engineer, and 10 years as Manager of the Optical Engineering Department. In 1992 Bruce retired from Kollmorgen and he started a consulting firm, Walker Associates, which operated from his Southampton home office for 28 years, until final retirement in 2020.  In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother David B. Walker. Bruce is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Verna (Schnopp) Walker and three devoted children. His daughters Laurie Walker of Leeds, MA, Patricia McHenry and her husband Bob of Exeter, NH and his son Bruce H. Walker, Jr. and his wife Mary of Southampton. His sons Steven of Las Vegas, NV and Matthew of Southampton, had predeceased him. Bruce is also survived by his brother John C. Walker and his wife Barbara of Granby, CT, his brother Daniel Walker and his wife Karen of Chicopee MA, his sister Kathryn Laporte and her husband Bill of Granby, MA. He is also survived by seven beloved grandchildren and their significant others, Ryan, Christopher, Lauren and Yvonne, Bruce III, Jonathan Walker, Taylor and Scott Bradshaw, Walker McHenry and Madison Pratt. As Bruce wished, interment will be arranged by the Mitchell Funeral Home staff. The ceremony will be at the Southampton Center Cemetery at the convenience and choice of the family. Special thanks to the staff of the Cooley-Dickenson Hospital of Northampton for their thoughtful and excellent care. Contributions to the VNA at CDH will be welcomed.  www.mitchellcofuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bruce H. Walker Sr., please visit our floral store.