Bruce A. Westerdahl

Bruce A. Westerdahl, 94, of Gloucester, VA, passed away on December 5, 2025, joining his beloved wife Nancy to spend eternity together.

Great men are measured by their accomplishments, and by that measure, Bruce lived a wonderfully successful and meaningful life.

Born January 21, 1931, in Newark, NJ, to Carl A. Westerdahl Sr. and Elizabeth Houck Westerdahl, Bruce grew up in Gettysburg, PA. In high school, he was the proverbial “big man on campus,” excelling both academically and athletically. He served as a class officer all four years, becoming President as a senior. A standout in football, basketball, and track, he earned 10 varsity letters and all-conference honors in football. He led his basketball team in scoring and set the school record in the hurdles. His talents on the gridiron earned him a college scholarship, and as an all-conference end at Franklin & Marshall College, he was part of the undefeated 1950 team later inducted into the F&M Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2007, he was inducted into the Adams County (PA) Sports Hall of Fame. Bruce claimed to be the first “wide receiver” in football history suggesting to his college coach that he split out from the line to draw defenders away.

It was during his sophomore year in high school that he first fell in love with Nancy Ogden. Their relationship began at the Teen Canteen in Gettysburg when Nancy and her family-fabled red hair ribbon caught the eye of classmate Bruce from across a crowded room of noisy teens. It blossomed into a 74-year love affair for the ages.

In 1951, Bruce volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps, serving proudly at home and abroad. His lifelong dedication to the Corps is honored with a sidewalk brick at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Bruce went on to a distinguished career in college admissions and communications, at Franklin & Marshall College, MacMurray College and Keuka College. He served as President of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors. He had the privilege of giving retired President Dwight Eisenhower a ride home from his commencement address at Franklin & Marshall. When Ike invited him in to meet Mamie, he demurred to a tired President, later calling it “the dumbest thing I ever did.”

Bruce was also deeply committed to community service, most notably in the Rotary Club. He was named Rotarian of the Year in 1999.

After retiring from Keuka College, Bruce remained as active and engaged as ever. He served as a lay minister at Keuka Lake Baptist Church and Bluff Point Methodist Church, preaching with passion and helping to revitalize both congregations. He and Nancy lovingly restored a turn-of-the-century farmhouse overlooking Keuka Lake and tended an award-winning garden there. He wrote a popular local newspaper column, The Old Grapestomper, sharing stories of local characters and lore, and later became a blogger, turning sermons into “Contemporary Parables” that gathered a worldwide following. He compiled a comprehensive genealogy of the Westerdahl and Ogden families dating back centuries, and self-published four books about his faith and his experiences growing up in Gettysburg during World War II.

Even in the winter of his life, Bruce remained energetic, curious, and committed to service. In his late eighties, he led a fundraising campaign for the Nasaruni Academy for Maasai girls in Kenya, ultimately raising enough to build a new library there dedicated to his beloved Nancy. After Nancy’s passing, he wrote her hundreds of love letters and recently self-published them in a book titled Love Letters to Heaven.

As significant as his accomplishments were, Bruce’s true greatness lay in the countless lives he touched. He was the heart of our family – a steady patriarch who nurtured loving, supportive bonds across generations. He stayed deeply involved in the lives of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, always knowing our interests, encouraging our pursuits, finding real joy in our accomplishments and reaching out with thoughtful gifts and kind words. In countless ways, large and small, he made us feel valued, supported and loved. For 74 years, he was passionately devoted to his precious wife, Nancy, a love affair that continued even after her passing. He was everyone’s friend, genuinely curious about the lives of others and quick to strike up a conversation and share a story with total strangers. From the pulpit, he inspired congregations to live with greater faith and compassion. Through his writing, he spread messages of charity and tolerance to readers around the world—including, remarkably, to hundreds of blog-readers in China! To breakfast waitresses everywhere, Bruce was their favorite customer. He was known for spontaneously breaking into song at the slightest provocation. Throughout his long life, Bruce inspired others with his joy, creativity, curiosity, and constant desire to make the world a better place.

Bruce is survived by his three children: Doug Westerdahl (Kristin) of Webster, NY, Steve Westerdahl (Laureen) of Webster, NY and Tammy Rollins (Buz) of Mathews, VA. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends who will forever cherish his memory.

A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held in Gettysburg, PA at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Nasaruni Academy in care of Horizons Learning Foundation, 3586 Horizons Way, Harrisonburg, VA 22802, a cause close to Bruce and Nancy. Contributions in his memory will continue his lifelong commitment to faith, education, and service.