(March 30, 1943--July 17, 1998)
POTSDAM--Private funeral services for Bruce A. Greenwood, 55, of Route 56, Potsdam, and a Potsdam Town Justice and aide to Assemblywoman Chloe Ann O'Neil, will be held on Monday at the convenience of the family at the Garner Funeral Home in Potsdam, with the Rev. John P. Kennehan officiating.
There will be no public calling hours.
Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Potsdam.
Mr. Greenwood died late Friday morning (July 17, 1998) at the Fletcher-Allen Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont, where he had been a patient since May 25. He died from complications of a rare form of a viral pneumonia.
He is survived by one son, Christopher Greenwood of Newark, California; two daughters: Jena and Sara Greenwood, both of Norwood; his mother, Mrs. Emma Greenwood of Rochester and Mrs. Bruce (Nancy) Fuller Krieger of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Greenwood was born in Potsdam on March 30, 1943, the son of Clarence and Emma (Wolcott) Greenwood. He graduated from Potsdam High School in 1961 and served four years in the United States Air Force from 1961 to 1965.
He was married to Evelyn Moore and Christine Lahey. Both of the marriages ended in divorce.
He attended Santa Monica College in California and SUNY Albany before entering the New York State Police in 1967. He served more than twenty years in the State Police as a trooper.
As a state trooper, Greenwood was stationed in Canton for most of his career. After his retirement he served as an aide to Assemblyman John O'Neil and was most recently an aide to Assemblywoman Chloe Ann O'Neil. He was serving his second term as Potsdam Town Justice.
Mr. Greenwood was appointed by Governor George Pataki to the New York State Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
Friends and colleagues expressed both shock and sadness over Greenwood's death, recalling a man who loved helping people in all kinds of ways.
A retired state trooper, Greenwood could be an intimidating presence, a big man known for carrying a revolver beneath his judicial robes. But O'Neil described the tough-minded but fair cop as "a marshmallow" who got his biggest kicks as town justice helping happy couples tie the knot rather than putting bad people behind bars.
"He will be remembered by hundreds and hundreds of people," O'Neil said. "He really cared about people and was very well liked by all the agencies he worked with."
Greenwood, who also worked for the late Assemblyman John O'Neil, was the assembly office's resident expert on transportation/highway, public safety and environmental issues, O'Neil noted. He was also a familiar face at all kinds of functions, representing the assemblywoman when she could not be there.
"Bruce was just such an asset to have in my office," she added.
Norfolk Town Justice John Tanski said he knew Greenwood on three levels, "as a trooper, as a judge and for the last 30 years as my friend."
Tanski said he was "just sick" over the passing of his longtime colleague, noting, "He's touched so many people on so many levels for so long. There's no way to measure what the man has done."
Potsdam Town Supervisor Pat Brady recalled how seriously Greenwood took his position as town justice. "He just loved the job," Brady noted. "He didn't mind getting up in the middle of the night."
Brady said everyone in Potsdam was shocked and saddened by Greenwood's passing, adding, "Out thoughts go out to his family."
He said he always admired Greenwood for "telling it like it was," and for his efforts to make his office more efficient. "Potsdam has certainly lost one of its finest citizens," Brady noted.
Mr Greenwood was very active in the community and was a member of the New York State Police PBA, the Potsdam Elks Lodge BPOE #2074, and the Norwood American Legion Post 68. He was also a member of the New York State Magistrates Association and the St. Lawrence County Magistrates Association.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Potsdam Rescue Squad or to the Potsdam Elks Lodge 2074.
(Taken from the Sunday, July 19, 1998 edition of the Advance News).