Obituary of Bruce E. Ford

Bruce Edward Ford, 78, of Newark, New Jersey, died on February 28, 2025, after a month’s illness. Born on February 20, 1947, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Bruce was a  man of many talents and accomplishments, but above all he was a wonderful friend to many, all of whom will miss his grace, his humor, his generous hospitality, and his caring concern. Bruce was a true gentleman.

Bruce is survived by his cousins Brien Reidy, Deborah Delaney, and David Large, and by his friend and companion, Stephen Pantani.

Bruce grew up in Rumson, New Jersey, attending public schools there, and then going on to earn both an undergraduate degree and a Master’s in Library Science from Rutgers University. He then began a 38-year career at the Newark Public Library, where he became Assistant Director after having supervised the Cataloguing Department. Bruce was the author of The Newark Public Library: A Brief History. He was an acknowledged expert in the discipline of cataloguing and taught the subject as an adjunct professor at both the Pratt Institute and Rutgers.

Beyond his professional accomplishments as a librarian, Bruce was also an expert in the history and practice of liturgics and an acknowledged master of the art of adapting Gregorian Chant to English words. His adaptations are widely used by parishes throughout the country, through their incorporation into The Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal Church, and through such resources as his compendium, The American Gradual. In addition to his compositions, Bruce also produced scholarship on the subjects of chant and liturgy, such as his Notes on the Celebration of the Eucharist, and numerous contributions to the journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians.

Bruce was a parishioner of the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, New York City, where he served as a lector, after a long association with Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey, where he had a major influence on the liturgy and music. At Grace Church, he served for decades as a member of the Vestry and as Warden, as well as in a variety of other ministries, including lector, acolyte, clerk, and altar guild. Bruce wrote the second volume of the history of Grace Church, Sustained and Renewed by Grace: A History of Grace Church in Newark, 1962 – 2012.

Bruce was a man of wide-ranging interests. He had a great passion for the culinary arts, and loved nothing more than entertaining guests at dinner parties, where he treated them to delicious meals served with elegance, or at tea parties, where his guests enjoyed the benefits of his skill as a baker. An owner of many classic cookbooks, those of Julia Child notable among them, Bruce was always on the lookout for new recipes that promised to meet his exacting standards. Bruce also put his abilities in the kitchen to use as part of his ministry of service at Grace Church, where he prepared many wonderful meals for special parish events.

He was also a great devotee and defender both of proper etiquette, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the works of Emily Post, and of proper grammar. Bruce’s instruction and admonishments on these subjects were always administered with just the right touch of humor as well as rigor.

Above all else, Bruce was a great friend. Behind his sometimes-formal manner, there was always his warm heart, which sought to help those in need and to serve his large circle of friends about whom he cared so much. We will all sorely miss him and will never forget him.

Rest in Peace, Bruce.

Bruce's funeral will take place at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street, New York City, on Thursday March 13th at 10:30AM