Roberta Mabel (Hersey) Bruce

Roberta Mabel (Hersey) Bruce Nov 9, 1931 – Oct 21, 2023

“Bert” was born to Elden Reid (b. 1902 – d. 1980) and Helen Gertrude (Ferguson)(b. 1905 – d.1970) Hersey in Danvers, MA and grew up in that area one of 8, having 3 brothers and 4 sisters.

It was a blind date, at a square dance, on Valentine’s Day in 1958 when she met the love of her life, Kenneth E. Bruce (b.1935 – d.2020). They married later that year and went on to raise a family of four girls in Southern NH. Roberta and Ken spent 62 years together before Ken’s passing in 2020.

While raising a young family she worked various bookkeeping positions with Mom’s hours, always home for school bus drop off, after school activities and family dinners. Not one to be idle, in her “spare time” she would sew clothes and knit sweaters for her growing girls. Bert loved and excelled at knitting and crocheting and when Ken retired, they opened the Yarn Boutique in Nashua, NH where she went on to teach hundreds of others her craft.

In 1991 they moved to Florida, took up golf and continued helping many others with her yarn craft expertise. Anyone that came to the door would be welcomed in and patiently coaxed along with their projects. When her husband decided to pursue a professional clown career she did too, becoming “Knitwit”. She brought along her yarn skills and would whip up bracelets for children and adults alike from a ball of yarn perched in her pink beehive hairdo much to everyone’s delight.

Bert was very social and would help organize golf leagues and game days in their community in Florida. She always loved to sing and would be happy to partake in all musical events in her communities.

At Courville Nursing Home, where she spent her last few years, she always had a smile on her face and much enjoyed outings, crafts and sing-a-longs, endearing many, residents and staff alike.

Mom/Nana will be lovingly remembered by her four daughters and their families – Cheryl and Vince Tulley of Rye, NH, Donna and Tom Pucciarello of Thornton, NH, Wendy and Donald Chambers of Amherst, NH and Terry and Jeff Bukartek of Sun Lakes, AZ. Seven grandchildren and their spouses – Reid Tulley and Kayla Thomas of Nashua, NH, Molly and Joel Wiessner of Crystal River, FL, Nicole Bruce of Milford, NH, Francisco and Jamilla of Keene, NH, Maxx and Lexie Chambers of Hooksett, NH, Christopher Bukartek of Coolidge, AZ and Alycia Bukartek of Phoenix, AZ. Also 8 great-grandchildren, Vinnie, Elowen, Ryder, Codi, Haylee, Tennyson, Nakoa and Inan.

Private family services will be held at a later date.