LCol (Retired) George Bruce Lewis

I’m very sorry to hear of uncle Bruce’s sudden passing. I know that he was a very decent human being to everyone he encountered and was a remarkable father and husband to my cousin and Aunt. I wish you both strength and I know that uncle Bruce will be deeply missed.

Dear Elaine,
I can remember the first day I met Bruce. He came over to make a call as your phone wasn’t connected. The fridge was too big for the opening!
I have so many good memories; the best neighbours ever, an adventure to Wales, England and Belgium to visit our guys away on sea duty, the birth of sweet Amanda, Bruce’s assistance in constructing our shed, Bruce in hot pursuit of very young toddler, Amanda, “streaking” to our yard, and so much more.
Bruce’s advancement in his career took you away from Tummell Dr. but not my heart.
With sincere sympathy,
Donns

Bruce, you were my friend. We met in 1972 and learned to support each other at Royal Roads and RMC military training for 4 years. We both took Electrical Engineering and during third year when I experienced a particularly difficult set of mid-term exams I was prepared to switch to an easier course of study. You encouraged me over that Thanksgiving long weekend to not make that choice and to carry on. I have remained thankful for that help. We celebrated our graduation from RMC both of us with our engineering degrees, our graduations from Navigation school in Winnipeg, and later your promotion and command of 407 Squadron in Comox. You have done well.
We recall that great story that it was Elaine’s cat that played cupid to bring you two together and start a new chapter of your life. Margaret and I looked forward to your Christmas card and letter every year keeping us up to date on your life, a love found in Elaine, and a loving dad to Amanda.
Forged in the trials recruit camp, academic and military studies and a sharing of life’s experiences you have been my friend.

I met Bruce at RRMC in 1972. We became friends early on during our first year. Bruce had a positive, genial approach which I very much appreciated, particularly during the grind that the RRMC experience provided. Bruce liked the ham radio hobby to which I was then addicted, even going so far as to drive me from RMC to Crysler, Ontario, and back again, so that I could acquire a giant old military shortwave radio receiver that I, for inexplicable reasons, desperately needed in my dorm room. Following graduation from RMC we ended up on opposite coasts of Canada, but in the 1980s we were together again at Shearwater, in HOTEF where we flew Sea King missions together, evaluating avionics and other stuff that might be useful in a future Naval Helicopter. At HOTEF, Bruce was always positive and full of ideas. In later years our paths diverged but we kept in touch, even dining out together in Paris, France with our respective families while on holiday. Jopy and I will always remember Bruce. Our condolences to Elaine, Amanda and Bruce’s extended family.

Bruce was my next door neighbour on McNabb St. in Sault Ste. Marie for many years. We grew up playing baseball in the backyard, playing in his sandbox, riding bikes and of course his favourite toy “old firey”. We spent Christmas’s visiting each others homes and showing off our new toys. Our Moms and Dads were best friends. Bruce made us all so proud when he went off to military school and though we lost touch for many years, I finally found him a few years ago and we had corresponded. My deepest condolances to Elaine and Amanda and his brothers, Grant and Ron. He will be missed by many people and always remembered by me.

Elaine, Amanda, please accept my most sincere condolences for your loss. I worked with Bruce during the last few years he was involved with AIMP and had the pleasure of staying in touch with him over the years for the occasional coffee and round of golf. I was very saddened to learn of his passing. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Such a great loos of a friend, colleague and mentor. Bruce and I worked closely together for many years in the CP140 community. I’ll never forget him coming to Greenwood in 2000 while I was CO 14 AMS and telling me he was taking two Auroras away to modify them. I put up a great deal of resistance as I wanted them for operations, but he persisted and we ended up doing the right thing for the long term benefit of the fleet. My sincere condolences to Elaine and family.

My condolences to Bruce’s family on this sad occassion. Bruce and I worked collaboratively together on many occasions and his deep attachment and dedication to 407 Squadron and the mighty Aurora were unmatched. He will be missed.

Our condolences to the Lewis family on their loss of Bruce. Our paths crossed many times but we truly got to know each other when I was the Commander of 14 Wing and he was the AIMP Project Director. Those were very difficult times for the Aurora community, but I alway knew Bruce had the best interests of the fleet at heart. We spoke often and honestly and I came to know him as a friend. Rest in peace Bruce, you are missed.

Such a shock and such sad news to hear of Bruce’s passing…I came to know and highly respect Bruce from many years working with him as Commanding Officers of Aurora squadrons at the same time, during the Aurora Upgrade Program, and for a number of years on support to the Cormorant SAR helicopter fleet. He knew how to get things done in Ottawa better than anyone else I ever met. I will remember him as a very dedicated professional whom I very much admired. Rest in peace, my friend…

Sincerest condolences to Bruce’s family on his passing. I remember Bruce for several reasons.

Very shortly after I arrived in Summerside as a green Lieutenant, we got launched on a search and rescue. We landed in Iceland, and I had not brought any civilian clothes. Bruce literally gave me the shirt off his back! That was the kind of person he was.

Our paths crossed again a few times, and I ended up working for Bruce in the Aurora Project Office. Keeping that diverse project on track and moving forward was a credit to his determination and vision. He was a great mentor to everyone there, and he developed a very loyal and proud team.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

My sincerest condolences Elaine and Amanda. Bruce was a true gentleman, friend and professional in every sense of the word. He was a jovial and very engaged participant in so many aspects of life. I don’t recall him ever doing anything “half way.” Bruce’s contributions to the Maritime Air community served to maintain and advance their global superiority in their missions. He truly made a difference.
His love for his family was always easy to see. Equally, he always helped and inspired his friends when they needed it. Bruce will be remembered and missed by many.
Rest in peace old friend!

When I joined the Swordfish on PEI, Bruce was quick to welcome me and a number of other newbies to the Squadron. At the time, we were away from family and living in quarters. I have never forgotten the many things he did to help us feel part of the team including hosting dinners and ensuring many of our needs were met. Later in our careers our paths would cross and the same kindness and camaraderie were ever present. What a great friend and colleague. My most sincere condolences to his family and close friends.

I was saddened to hear of Bruce’s passing. My sincere condolences to Elaine and family.
He was my CO at 407 Sqn and my boss at DAR on the AIMP. He was a mission focused, but caring kind of gent who will be remembered fondly by many.

During my time as the Senior Military Officer at the Defence Research Establishment Atlantic (DREA), I was amazed how this bright young Captain Lewis consistently astounded the resident scientists with his knowledge, intellect and ideas. His subsequent promotion to Major was well deserved and proved to be a stepping stone on a great career.
Well done, Bruce! Per Ardua ad Astra.

So sorry to hear of Bruce’s death.
Our thoughts are with Elaine and Amanda.

Elaine and Amanda, please accept my sincere condolences.
Bruce and I worked together through our careers though never in the same unit. He was true to his education and his profession as a navigator- never unsure of his mission, always on track towards his destination, adept at dealing with the changes in the plans and laser focused on success. As a friend he could be brutally honest but never with malice. He was a complex man who I was honoured to know and work with on so many projects.

Dear Elaine and Amanda:
Please accept our deepest condolences. Being neighbours for many years, we always could count on Bruce for his knowledge in plumbing, electrical issues and so on. He was an excellent handyman. He will be missed on our street.

Very sad to hear of Bruce’s passing.
He was one of my students at the Air Navigation School in Winnipeg.
Years later he took over command of 407 Squadron in Comox from me.
Our paths continued to cross while I was a consultant to MDA on the Aurora synthetic aperture radar and Bruce was the Aurora Update Director.
Bruce made a very significant contribution to the Canadian Maritime Aviation community over a very long time marked by great advances in technology.
Rest in peace my friend.

Dear Amanda and Elaine. It was an honour to get to know Bruce just a little bit after meeting him while we both worked on the Aurora Program. Bruce on the government side and me on the contractor side. I thoroughly enjoyed our dinners together in Florida and will miss them now when I visit with you, Amanda again. Keep your memories close and he will always be with you. We now have one more angel in heaven to watch over us.

My condolences to Bruce’s family on this sad news. Although I never flew with Bruce, I knew him from his Sisyphean efforts to get much needed upgrades for the Aurora fleet through government hurdles that often appear designed to never approve any spending. His perseverance was rewarded with the current state of the art surveillance machines flying today. Rest in Peace Bruce.

I worked for Bruce on the CP140 Modernization project. He was a great boss who always treated people fairly. Rest in peace. My condolences to his wife and daughter.

Elaine, Amanda, Denise and I we were greatly saddened by the unexpected loss of Bruce and offer our deepest condolences. I first worked with Bruce when he was my Director and I was the CP140 Weapon System Manager. Although we had our share of tête-à-têtes over the AIMP project, his passion for the fleet and the RCAF always came from the heart—especially during international meetings in Atlanta. The LRP community and industry owe much to his persistence in keeping the fleet relevant for Canada. His 2018 retirement was one of the largest held in the old mess, a true testament to the respect he earned.

In 2022, while I was PM for the CC295, his trusted perspective during our informal coffee meetings helped get the project back on track. Without him, it is doubtful we would be conducting SAR operations today. More recently, he helped in my own retirement transition, while sharing stories of the Argus, HOTEF, and his family.

Bruce was a boss, a mentor, and a colleague, but most of all, he was a “True Blue” friend that I will miss dearly.

My sincerest condolences to the Lewis family. Bruce to many but Mr Lewis to me, was a formidable leader and a person of great integrity. Having worked with him for many years on the Aurora Program I saw firsthand how his demanding nature was always matched by his consistency and fairness. He leaves behind a legacy of exceptional program management and engineering skills, not forgetting a group of colleagues who are better for having known him. I feel privileged to have been part of the Aurora Program under his leadership. After his many years of dedication and hard work Mr Lewis deserved a long and enjoyable retirement, it’s a great shame that nature had other plans.

Like many from the CP140 community, Bruce was a mentor, a leader and a friend with unmatched understanding of the fleet and how to master modernization and program management. I thought he was brilliant. So sorry to hear of his passing and my condolences to Elaine, Amanda and extended family.

I first met Bruce 25 years ago, I had the privilege of working for him for many years. Even after that we remained friends. I will always treasure the many end‑of‑day conversations we had in his office, just sitting and talking. I especially loved hearing his stories about Amanda riding, and about his life with Elaine — both of whom he loved so deeply and spoke about with such pride and affection. Those stories showed who Bruce truly was.
He meant a great deal to me, and he will be deeply missed by all of us who were lucky enough to know him.

Bruce Lewis was a memorable student in my Geography classes at Lakeway Collegiate and Vocational School , Sault Ste Marie ( the Soo!). He shared his enjoyment of Sea Cadets and his plan to continue to Royal Roads followed by RMC, Kingston. We enjoyed sharing Christmas greetings and hearing about his military career with his achievement of LCol.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to Elaine and Amanda, and brothers Grant ( also I had the pleasure of teaching you at LAKEWAY) and Ron.
Rest in peace Bruce , you have made a difference !

I was deeply saddened to learn of Bruce’s passing. He was my first lead when I joined the AERE community over 20 years ago, serving as the Director of Maritime when I arrived as a new AERE officer with the CP140 Weapon System Manager office. From the very beginning, Bruce left a lasting impression on me. He taught me invaluable lessons about leadership, service, and what it truly means to be an officer and an AERE officer in particular. Those early lessons set me on the right path in my career, and I remain profoundly grateful to him for that guidance.
We also worked closely together through the maritime entertainment committee, and I always cherished our conversations. Sharing stories with Bruce was a pleasure; he was thoughtful, kind, and genuinely interested in the people around him. He was, quite simply, a very nice man.
Bruce’s leadership and friendship meant a great deal to me, and his influence has stayed with me throughout my career. My sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones during this very difficult time. He will be remembered with great respect and fondness.