Over the summer, Bruce MacConnell retired from the Dining Hall dish crew. Previously scheduled to resign on Jan. 20th, Bruce is now living in South Carolina with his family. During his time at Deerfield, he built a reputation of warmth, enthusiasm, and fun-loving banter with students while they cleared their plates or simply dropped by to say hello.
Izzy Hamlen ‘20 said, “Bruce would always recommend a song for me to listen to. They would always be from the 70s with really good guitar.”
“Bruce and I were able to bond over our childhood memories of Florida,” said Jasmine Baldwin ‘20. “He would describe the white flowers that would surround the yard, and I would tell him about the palm tree my family used to decorate for Christmas.”
Baldwin also expressed her gratitude for his ability to get her through each busy week at Deerfield with motivational reminders such as Thursday being ‘Friday-Eve’ and also ‘paycheck days’.
“Early in the morning, Bruce would draw the curtains open and comment on the sunrise. Once, he asked me if I looked up to the sky. He was one of those people who remembered to appreciate our beautiful and nature-filled campus,” said Helen Mak ’20.
Morgan Moriarty ‘22 also described her relationship with Bruce to be extremely meaninfgul, marked by inside jokes and high spirits no matter how early in the morning. “We had a daily routine where Bruce would say, ‘Guten Morgen, Morgan,’ meaning ‘Good morning, Morgan,’ in German,” she said. “It made me so happy.”
The impact that Bruce has had on Deerfield students is evident. His legacy has remained strong since his departure. “His resilience and joy are truly contagious,” said Mak. “I will surely miss laughing at his dad jokes.”
Bruce: a friend, jester, musician, and even avid reader of the Scroll. “You will be missed dearly by the Deerfield community,” said Mak.