The following is the obituary for our fellow member, Bruce Beckner, who passed away in March. Bruce was a rowing guy through and through starting at W-L under Charlie's tutelage and continuing as a beloved PBC member. Like many members, he wove the story of PBC and W-L together.
Surrounded by his family, Bruce Beckner died on March 21st, 2022 after a most varied and rewarding life and a courageous 13-year battle with prostate cancer. A longtime member of The Potomac Boat Club, Bruce rowed four years for Washington and Lee High School, coached by Charlie Butt and graduating in 1967. He then attended Princeton University where he was rowing stroke of the freshman crew which was one of the best in the nation. This boat of young collegiates would remain some of Bruce’s closest friends for the rest of his life. He went on to get a master’s degree in Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins and then worked as a reporter at The Houston Chronicle. In Texas, he met his wife Sallie and they married in 1974 and had three daughters Laura, Amanda, and Helen. Bruce continued his professional evolution with graduation from UVa Law School in 1978 and a 37-year career as an attorney in the Washington DC area with three legal firms: Dow, Lohnes & Albertson; Fleischman & Walsh; Garvey, Schubert, Barer. Bruce loved to sail the Chesapeake Bay with Sallie and his girls and bareboat chartered sailboats in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Following his retirement, he and Sallie sold their home in Washington DC and explored national parks across the U.S. in their Airstream. He joined PBC again in 2000 as an active member and Masters rower. He especially enjoyed the 20+ years of reunions and rowing again in senior competitions with his former rowing freshman crew mates. His youngest daughter, Helen, carries on his rowing tradition and is also a proud member of PBC.
Photo 1: 1967 Washington and Lee boat on the Potomac- Bruce is 4th Seat
Photo 2: Bruce is 4th from left
