Obituary
"Alameda Times-Star"
12 Jun 2001
Russell J. Bruzzone, a Lamorinda real estate developer of 45 years, died Sunday at the UCSF Medical Center of a cardiac arrest. He was 75.
Born in Oakland, Mr. Bruzzone grew up in the Rockridge Avenue area of Oakland with his beloved parents Joseph and Delia Bruzzone and his brother and sister, Milton and Joyce. He attended Berkeley High, the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated in 1948 Phil Beta Kappa in Mechanical Engineering, played on Cal's National Championship baseball team and served in the V12.
After Cal, he attended Stanford University, where he earned his MBA. After Stanford, Mr. Bruzzone worked for the California Research and Development division of Standard Oil, where he met his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joan Eck Bruzzone.
Recognizing the stifling affect of corporate life on his entrepreneurial spirit, they, with their first child and pregnant with twins, moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela with a close Stanford Business School classmate to strike it rich, not in oil, but in ice cream. Family soon prevailed over foreign pursuits and the 5 Bruzzones returned to the Bay Area in 1954 with many dreams and a willingness to work hard.
They settled in Lafayette and started a development business. He built and sold his first house in 1954, acquired several hillside lots adjacent to now Highway 24 in Lafayette which he developed into the Plaza Shopping Center, and later in the early 60's he purchased the Moraga Ranch from Utah Construction, pledging the little he had put but giving his unconditional word of repayment. Because of Utah's faith in his integrity, work ethic and vision, they extended the financial support needed to repay that debt through many difficult times and to help him achieve his dream of developing Lafayette's Burton Valley and substantial parts of Moraga.
To his family and those who truly knew him, he was a visionary, a beacon for fairness and justice, a person of the utmost integrity, forceful but dignified, passionate, intellectually curious and most importantly, loving and caring. He will be truly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Bruzzone of Lafayette; his six children Kate, Stephen, David, Rick, Kip and Paul, all of Lafayette or Moraga; and his six grandchildren, Joe, Ted, Nick, Vince, Katie, Kenny and Matt. He was much loved by his daughters-in-law, Ginny, Lisa and Mary Bruzzone.
A memorial service was held at St. Perpetua Catholic Church, in Lafayette, CA.
"Alameda Times-Star"
12 Jun 2001
Russell J. Bruzzone, a Lamorinda real estate developer of 45 years, died Sunday at the UCSF Medical Center of a cardiac arrest. He was 75.
Born in Oakland, Mr. Bruzzone grew up in the Rockridge Avenue area of Oakland with his beloved parents Joseph and Delia Bruzzone and his brother and sister, Milton and Joyce. He attended Berkeley High, the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated in 1948 Phil Beta Kappa in Mechanical Engineering, played on Cal's National Championship baseball team and served in the V12.
After Cal, he attended Stanford University, where he earned his MBA. After Stanford, Mr. Bruzzone worked for the California Research and Development division of Standard Oil, where he met his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joan Eck Bruzzone.
Recognizing the stifling affect of corporate life on his entrepreneurial spirit, they, with their first child and pregnant with twins, moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela with a close Stanford Business School classmate to strike it rich, not in oil, but in ice cream. Family soon prevailed over foreign pursuits and the 5 Bruzzones returned to the Bay Area in 1954 with many dreams and a willingness to work hard.
They settled in Lafayette and started a development business. He built and sold his first house in 1954, acquired several hillside lots adjacent to now Highway 24 in Lafayette which he developed into the Plaza Shopping Center, and later in the early 60's he purchased the Moraga Ranch from Utah Construction, pledging the little he had put but giving his unconditional word of repayment. Because of Utah's faith in his integrity, work ethic and vision, they extended the financial support needed to repay that debt through many difficult times and to help him achieve his dream of developing Lafayette's Burton Valley and substantial parts of Moraga.
To his family and those who truly knew him, he was a visionary, a beacon for fairness and justice, a person of the utmost integrity, forceful but dignified, passionate, intellectually curious and most importantly, loving and caring. He will be truly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Bruzzone of Lafayette; his six children Kate, Stephen, David, Rick, Kip and Paul, all of Lafayette or Moraga; and his six grandchildren, Joe, Ted, Nick, Vince, Katie, Kenny and Matt. He was much loved by his daughters-in-law, Ginny, Lisa and Mary Bruzzone.
A memorial service was held at St. Perpetua Catholic Church, in Lafayette, CA.
Obituary
"Alameda Times-Star"
12 Jun 2001
Russell J. Bruzzone, a Lamorinda real estate developer of 45 years, died Sunday at the UCSF Medical Center of a cardiac arrest. He was 75.
Born in Oakland, Mr. Bruzzone grew up in the Rockridge Avenue area of Oakland with his beloved parents Joseph and Delia Bruzzone and his brother and sister, Milton and Joyce. He attended Berkeley High, the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated in 1948 Phil Beta Kappa in Mechanical Engineering, played on Cal's National Championship baseball team and served in the V12.
After Cal, he attended Stanford University, where he earned his MBA. After Stanford, Mr. Bruzzone worked for the California Research and Development division of Standard Oil, where he met his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joan Eck Bruzzone.
Recognizing the stifling affect of corporate life on his entrepreneurial spirit, they, with their first child and pregnant with twins, moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela with a close Stanford Business School classmate to strike it rich, not in oil, but in ice cream. Family soon prevailed over foreign pursuits and the 5 Bruzzones returned to the Bay Area in 1954 with many dreams and a willingness to work hard.
They settled in Lafayette and started a development business. He built and sold his first house in 1954, acquired several hillside lots adjacent to now Highway 24 in Lafayette which he developed into the Plaza Shopping Center, and later in the early 60's he purchased the Moraga Ranch from Utah Construction, pledging the little he had put but giving his unconditional word of repayment. Because of Utah's faith in his integrity, work ethic and vision, they extended the financial support needed to repay that debt through many difficult times and to help him achieve his dream of developing Lafayette's Burton Valley and substantial parts of Moraga.
To his family and those who truly knew him, he was a visionary, a beacon for fairness and justice, a person of the utmost integrity, forceful but dignified, passionate, intellectually curious and most importantly, loving and caring. He will be truly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Bruzzone of Lafayette; his six children Kate, Stephen, David, Rick, Kip and Paul, all of Lafayette or Moraga; and his six grandchildren, Joe, Ted, Nick, Vince, Katie, Kenny and Matt. He was much loved by his daughters-in-law, Ginny, Lisa and Mary Bruzzone.
A memorial service was held at St. Perpetua Catholic Church, in Lafayette, CA.
"Alameda Times-Star"
12 Jun 2001
Russell J. Bruzzone, a Lamorinda real estate developer of 45 years, died Sunday at the UCSF Medical Center of a cardiac arrest. He was 75.
Born in Oakland, Mr. Bruzzone grew up in the Rockridge Avenue area of Oakland with his beloved parents Joseph and Delia Bruzzone and his brother and sister, Milton and Joyce. He attended Berkeley High, the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated in 1948 Phil Beta Kappa in Mechanical Engineering, played on Cal's National Championship baseball team and served in the V12.
After Cal, he attended Stanford University, where he earned his MBA. After Stanford, Mr. Bruzzone worked for the California Research and Development division of Standard Oil, where he met his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joan Eck Bruzzone.
Recognizing the stifling affect of corporate life on his entrepreneurial spirit, they, with their first child and pregnant with twins, moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela with a close Stanford Business School classmate to strike it rich, not in oil, but in ice cream. Family soon prevailed over foreign pursuits and the 5 Bruzzones returned to the Bay Area in 1954 with many dreams and a willingness to work hard.
They settled in Lafayette and started a development business. He built and sold his first house in 1954, acquired several hillside lots adjacent to now Highway 24 in Lafayette which he developed into the Plaza Shopping Center, and later in the early 60's he purchased the Moraga Ranch from Utah Construction, pledging the little he had put but giving his unconditional word of repayment. Because of Utah's faith in his integrity, work ethic and vision, they extended the financial support needed to repay that debt through many difficult times and to help him achieve his dream of developing Lafayette's Burton Valley and substantial parts of Moraga.
To his family and those who truly knew him, he was a visionary, a beacon for fairness and justice, a person of the utmost integrity, forceful but dignified, passionate, intellectually curious and most importantly, loving and caring. He will be truly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Bruzzone of Lafayette; his six children Kate, Stephen, David, Rick, Kip and Paul, all of Lafayette or Moraga; and his six grandchildren, Joe, Ted, Nick, Vince, Katie, Kenny and Matt. He was much loved by his daughters-in-law, Ginny, Lisa and Mary Bruzzone.
A memorial service was held at St. Perpetua Catholic Church, in Lafayette, CA.
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