Remembering Bruce Berglund
Bruce Berglund (top right) enjoying the company of former students at a 2016 alumni gathering.
Bruce Berglund, FIUTS host and community supporter, passed away on May 11 at the age of 91. Bruce and his family hosted countless students over more than 40 years, and his incredible generosity and kindness has touched generations of people around the world. The Berglund family received the FIUTS Shigemura Award for International Understanding in 1982. He will be missed by our staff and by the many students who consider him family. Some of his past hosted students have volunteered to share memories of this special man with our community.
Tribute by Xiangtian Yuan
I came to Seattle in September 2015, and stayed with Bruce at the beginning of my first semester as a master student at the University of Washington. After finishing my master’s degree, I moved to Germany in pursuit of something vague, which I can still not clarify. But one facet is the belief of cosmopolitanism, which is strengthened by my experience with Bruce during the two years when we breathed in the same drizzle of Puget Sound.
Upon hearing that Bruce passed away, I froze for some minutes in a conglomeration of feelings. I’m sad, yes. But that is not the only feeling. I somehow felt a tiny string of relief. When the Covid-19 started to wreck havoc in the U.S., Seattle was one of the worst hit areas in the U.S.. The idea of calling Bruce and Gwynne has always been on my mind. But I have not called a lot due to the time zones we lived in, and the forgetful me. But this time, the urge has never been stronger. Bruce sounded as joyful and uplifting. He was like a kid, complaining to me about how he could not meet many friends and neighbors due to the lockdown rules. He also said he would give all the medical resources to the younger generation.
I remember I said things will get better, and we would meet again later, as I promised during our farewell brunch at Maplewild overlooking the calm sea water. And it was during exactly the same brunch Bruce told me that it might be the last time we see each other in our lives. It was a very heavy statement for me.
I constantly refuse to accept the fact that as we grow, we will keep losing things and people we love, we take for granted. Despite I know it is the universal truth. I just didn’t see this coming so soon that I broke my promise. I was still hoping for the pandemic and chaos to end so I could visit Bruce again, maybe for the last time. But at least I made our last phone call before I can’t do it. At least I don’t regret much more.
Bruce has passed but not really, he is still alive with his host students across the world, whom he has huge influence on. I never felt more at home when I was in Seattle. I barely missed any important holidays with Bruce and Gwynne’s families. This precious experience will never fade in my mind. Our connection transcend age, ethnicity, and every different aspect of our background. Bruce has made me a better person with his positivity, humor, wisdom and love.
In Chinese tradition, the passing of person at a great age is not sorrowful, as the happiness of witnessing the beautiful world and longevity is a gift from the providence. I agree on this despite my despise for many other traditions. Bruce has left behind so much legacy to FIUTS and other communities. He’s passing is a grieved loss to many, but his impacts are immortal. And I strongly believe that the other world where Bruce is now living in, is celebrating the arrival of a splendid human being with joy. Bruce, please have faith, which I know you surely do, that we are all endeavoring to make this world a better place in addition to your legacy. Bruce, I really miss you dearly.
Tribute by İnci Ataç-Rösch
For Bruce Berglund-
Remembering his smiling and colorful existence in my life.
I owe him a lot.
He gave me a home and a family.
He gave me my career; for if he was not there, I would have escaped back to my country as soon as I arrived.
As soon as I stepped out of the airplane at Sea-Tac airport on a cold and rainy day in December 1977, I was scared. I had no place to go other than the University and it was a Sunday. But there he was; holding a piece of paper with my name on it. He was there waiting for me with his warm smile.
What a relief…
I thought he was an angel who appeared out of nowhere to help me. In an instant I felt welcome. Security, trust, comfort, happiness all appeared within an instant behind his warm smile.
Bruce had been my American dad, ever since.
I always felt I had a home and family in Seattle. Sue and Bruce became my parents, Nicola and Ruth my sisters, Paul and Michael my brothers. I even had a grandma Berglund.
I visited them almost every weekend during my studies at UW. Celebrated so many Christmas Eves, birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s days, Thanksgiving, goodbye parties, welcome back parties, baby showers…
We had fun together.
But we also worked together. My duty was to polish the silver candle holders while the other kids had to do the hard work !
Later on, after I completed my PhD and returned back home, Sue and Bruce came to Turkey to visit me. They were keeping an eye on me, like my real parents ! They wanted to make sure that I am fine.
I came back to Seattle as well, with my husband and three kids. And of course, I had a home in Seattle and parents who took care of us all. We had an unforgettable camping trip to Olympic Peninsula where Bruce taught the kids about what to do if they saw a bear.
We kept in touch, until the colors of life started fading and they started passing away one after another.
However the memories persist. I will always remember Bruce telling me:
not to drink beer from the can.
to renovate my house properly.
to wear little diamond earnings because they fit me very well.
When he was worried about me during times of political turmoil, I felt so good. He was caring about me, he was trying to protect me.
He was like a real father to me.
I owe him and I miss him.
tribute by Sofie Borring
I stayed with Bruce and Gwynne when I came to Seattle in January 2016. I will never forget the warmth and hospitality they showed me. In the very first e-mail I received from them, they introduced themselves as “your Grandparents in Seattle” - and that’s exactly what they became to me. Bruce was a kind, wise, curious and charming man and I’m thankful I got to know him.
tribute by Babatunde Olu Aina
The news of your death saddened me like nothing has recently.
I met Bruce on a beautiful Seattle afternoon at the University of Washington mid September 1977 where he came to pick me up as his very first student son to be hosted by him and there were many more after me.
I left Seattle in 1982 but fate got me back here in the year 2000 this time with my wife and kids and guess what, Bruce again was there for us and very supportive which still made him a Host Grandparent though we did not stay with him.
He is a very kind person, with a very pure heart and quite engaging in all subjects we ever discussed. His love for his children and us that he hosted over the years is immeasurable.
It is difficult to come to terms with his transition but memories of him will live for ever in all of us.
Rest In Peace Bruce.
Tribute by Sameer D. Meshram
I consider myself very luck in life to have met Mr. Bruce Berglund and his family. His enthusiasm in hosting international students seemed unparalleled. I remember, even at 89 he'd himself come to welcome me at the airport. Not to mention he waited patiently for 3 hours as the flight was delayed.
Bruce left no stone unturned in making me 'feel at home' - 8000 miles away. In the 2+ years of our engagement we met on several occasions - especially Christmas, Thanksgiving and even his wedding! We exchanged several gifts and cooked new dishes for each other.
I strongly admire Bruce's values vis-a-vis liberty, equality and inclusiveness, which have increasingly shaped my personality. I would also like to thank Gwynne D., Paul B., Nicola S. and JoAnne E. for making all this possible.
Thank you!
Sameer D. Meshram