I imagine Bruce chuckling at the sad irony of having Dee join him in time for this birthday. May they both be as blessed in the afterlife as they blessed us here on earth. They were such a giving and hospitable couple.

Dee and bruce forever missed, Joey and i and Ralph will never forget the Baraws

Another year has gone by. At least you have Dee to be with you for this birthday. You are never forgotten!

Bruce was one of the kindest, most loving people I knew, meeting him through his wife, Dee Roberts Baraw. He will always be a shining light in my life
Vicki Trimble

I can't believe it has been more than a year now. I am just thinking about Bruce today on his birthday. He is on my mind almost every day though. He is missed!

Well, it's been one year and the thought that you are no longer with us physically still hurts. Bruce, you were a great friend and brought many good times through our High School years (1971-1974).
We are celebrating our 48th Reunion from NCU this year in Newport, I will share a drink with you, and honor you.

From youth meetings at church to pool parties, I don't think I ever saw you with anything other than a smile on your face. Truly, I can't recall ever seeing a bad mood on your face or hearing it in your voice. You had such a wonderful light around you.

Bruce was 1 in a million. Small in stature but bigger than life in his love of others, his devotion to people he cared about. He was my protector, my friend and my fraternity brother, he made a huge difference in my life. You could feel his strength in everything he said and did. We had some amazing discussions, a lot of laughs. He was at my wedding and smiled at me and told me “ no matter what, be happy”. I hope he knew how highly I thought of him, how much I cared for him. RIP Bruce, thank you for everything. Thank you for all you gave to so many others, love ya

Bruce was a senior at NHC and I was new there as an incoming sophomore. I lived in an apartment with Bruce, Mountain & Stu. Stu and and I got introduced to the fraternity by Bruce & Mountain. Bruce was the man and everyone loved him. Rest In Peace brother.

His wit and wisdom will not be missed...because we all carry it with us. He was loved and he loved hand made the world better. I miss you, Bruce.

Bruce was my uncle and though I only met him in person once, he made a spot in my heart. We talked online and he was one of the few who I could count on for a laugh or a good cheesy movie or tv show. Twilight Zone, Monty Python, Scooby Doo, Three Stooges - we would laugh at these moments of time that we appreciated and could chat about. He touched so many lives and I know I am proud to call him uncle and to carry on that ever open spirit and heart.

Bruce was & always will be my youngest brother. He taught me not to give up when I wanted something to go after it. He amazed me with his determination! I will miss Bruce in this mortal life but Some day I will see him again. 

I want to thank Bruce for all the wonderful college fraternity memories. He was a very special brother with a golden heart. God bless little Brucie. Rest In Peace brother of phi delta psi. 

I hung out with Bruce and Dee a few times at Shirley Roberts home and OI events. I appreciated his wry humor, love of life, and warmth to make others feel welcome and included. I am sad that he did not get to enjoy being retired and his kitchen renovations so he could enjoy making meals. Bruce will be missed by many. RIP friend.

Bruce was my neighbor & a Great neighbor he was- he was also my friend and the nicest man i know, we shared the love of oddball cars & his passion led him to love the tri-five ( 55' to 57' ) chevys like myself. So many happy times we spent chatting ( saving the world one conv. at a time ) as we called it - i miss my friend dearly but i know he's in gods hands & hopefully he saves me a seat in the front row, cause thats where all " the greats " go to sit.

From Bruce's fraternity bro and friend to the end, Scott Forbes
   A testament for the smallest Big Man I will ever know of.
   Bruce and I met Spring, 1976, at New Hampshire College where we both attended.
Bruce was a sophomore then and was already a Phi Delta Psi Brother. He was given the task of monitoring me, a lowlife pledge to his Fraternity, and a transplanted Junior to a 4 year degree there.
   He was the Big brother, I was his little brother. No Guarantees expressed or implied.

   Back then, I saw Bruce as a guy that always had to look up. I found sitting near him, and nose to nose, was the natural thing to do.
   An adaptation, if you will, to level the physical playing field. He didn’t talk much, but dispatched “the look” quite effectively.
I grew up in a household such as this, with few words coupled with those like and kind "Looks”.
So, we had an immediate connection source I’d say was quite unique.
   We were both pretty shy guys, and most kids then had to guess what we were thinkin’ because we didn’t talk much.
   
   Bruce loved cars, completely. Always noticed them, who drove what, and how they drove them.

   We started a tradition at this school and in the fraternity as well. “ Hell Rides”
I always had noticeable factory muscle cars, for the greater Northeast school parking lots anyways. One in particular had a grab bar on the dash face. With Bruce's chair jump seat placed correctly in the front bucket seat, he could reach it and witness all the sideways corners, power slides, outrunning the local cops, everything. The yells and yee haws coming out of his mouth just egged me on even more. Just this last visit with him in La Mesa, he reminded me of one such event we barely got out of so many years ago.
    We stayed it touch over the years, East and West coasts alike. When he told me he was getting married, out West, I said, “Why”. He told me how he met Dee and how all that grew into something he really wanted to keep going. I said OK, what are we doin’?
    His response, “you’re in the wedding bro.”
    The rest is in the archives, lots of photos for all the years that followed.

    I always looked up to Bruce, since the day we met, even If I had to sit on the floor to do it.

    We spoke softly, as we made decisions and did things together. Me flying in for his wedding and renting the fastest car Hertz had for one last hell ride, or Bruce jumping in his van to drive over to Tucson for a Grand National Antique Auto show I was in.
   All in a days thoughts for two guys that never had to talk much.
   Few Men make and live through their own legacy, daily. Bruce just took that for granted, as he did just that.

  BDB has moved on, and out of our sight, but that’s all.
   Rest in well earned peace my Brother, Scott

     

Bruce and I were in the same year at NCUHS, Class of 74. I had known Bruce since 1970. Last fond memory of Bruce was the last day for Seniors in 1974. Bruce motoring down the hallways, his cassette player blaring Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out!”
I joined the Navy in the Summer of 74, and our paths never crossed again, until enter FB 2015-2016, we reconnected. Enjoyed leaving and receiving jokes and memes, for and from Bruce. Rest In Peace my friend.

Our mom married Bruce's Dad while Bruce was in college. This gave us the opportunity to know an exceptional person. He continued to be a huge part of his dad's life and my mom's. They were so proud of him. Bruce's Dad passed and my mom lived in the family home which belonged to Bruce. When finances for the home got difficult for her, he maintained the home until she passed. He also communicated with her frequently which made her happy. Always grateful to him.
Thank you Bruce. Amy Gray, Florence Verge and Arline Pettengill. 

This is a portion of an article that appeared at work in 2012, rewritten to be past tense.

Bruce worked in the comptroller's working capital fund Branch at SPAWAR (now NAVWAR) from 1997 until retirement, providing financial oversight and guidance of an annual total business base that exceeds $6.5 billion.

Bruce was a supervisory budget analyst and branch head of the Navy Working Capital Fund and winner of the 2012 Defense of the Navy/Department of Defense Outstanding Employee with a Disability Award.

Baraw was recognized throughout the Navy as an expert in the Navy Working Capital Fund. He joined SPAWAR from the Naval Sea Systems Command in 1996 relocating from Virginia to San Diego.

"Bruce continually performed his work at an extremely high level, which demonstrates to people every day that a disabled person can perform at the highest levels with grace, courage and a positive outlook," said Stephen Dunn, his supervisor. "He continued his professional development throughout a full career by building skills on top of skills and adding to his extensive complement of accounting and budget knowledge. He was certainly a valuable member of the finance team here."

Baraw worked from a motorized wheelchair and had the help of a portable oxygen tank. Despite severe health challenges resulting from his condition, including broken bones, breathing difficulties and hearing loss, he remained upbeat.

Bruce was known to say "There's an old saying that a closed mouth won't get fed, so, my advice to others with disabilities is be persistent; make your needs known. You'll find that people really want to help and that most organizations are required to accommodate your requests."

Bruce and Dee have been wonderful friends, helping me several times when I needed a temporary place to stay. They filled their house with friends. I'll miss Bruce's intelligent humor. Too bad he won't be able to enjoy the remodeled kitchen, but then I imagine he enjoyed the anticipation of said kitchen very much. And now he's in a place where he won't need it. Goodbye, beloved friend!

I FIRST met Bruce at Pacific Beach United Methodist church and would do a gentle fist bump during greeting time.
He was also very involved in inclusive ministries, and I ADORED his theme of DRAW THE CIRCLE WIDER.

Bruce and I met at an Osteogenesis Imperfecta Conference in CA in 1988. We hit it off and had our first date (went to the movies to see Who Framed Roger Rabbit). At that time he lived in Portsmouth, NH and I lived in CA. We kept in touch through letters and then (thankfully) e-mail.  March 1995, we planned to see each other in person again. Bruce had relocated to North Virginia, so I went there to visit since I had never been to Washington, DC. We both still felt romantic sparks, so I packed up and moved to VA that June. We were engaged in the Fall and got married March 9, 1996.
I am very thankful that I got to be his partner in life for 25 years!
I am going to miss you husband.