Bruce Eric Eklund passed away peacefully on July 1, 2024 after a hard-fought battle with various health issues. He was 67 years old. Bruce was born on May 25, 1957 in Norwood, Massachusetts, the son of Robert and Elinor Eklund, and one of five children. The family moved to New York to North Carolina and finally settled down in Virginia Beach. Bruce met his soulmate, Sharon, in 1980 and they celebrated 39 years of marriage together.

Bruce and Sharon started their married lives by moving to Chesapeake and had two sons, Robert and James. Bruce started his career working at Colonna’s Shipyard with his father and spent the majority of his career at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and retired after 35 years as a Nuclear Zone Manager in May 2019. He was well respected and enjoyed a close working relationship with many of his friends at the shipyard.

Bruce enjoyed spending days at the beach and took advantage of all the good seafood nearby. He loved to watch sports, closely following the Dallas Cowboys and Dale Earnhardt. If you ever played sports trivia, you would want Bruce on your team! Bruce loved to play games, especially card games. He was a dedicated father and husband, and loved spending time with his family. He regularly kept up with extended family, including his siblings and their children. Bruce also took several trips back to Massachusetts to visit his family and indulge in lobster and New England fried clams.

Bruce was very outgoing and instantly connected with anyone he met. His stories and adventures would make people laugh. Bruce loved to reminisce about his childhood with his siblings and share stories with anyone who would listen. In the past couple of years, Bruce’s favorite activity was spending time with Sharon on their patio.

Bruce was predeceased by his parents, Robert and Elinor Eklund, brother David, and is survived by his wife of 39 years, Sharon Brownlee Eklund, sons Robert and James, brothers Paul (Ginger), Jon (Natalie), sister Lisa (Phyllis Carr), and sister-in-law Cheryl. The family would like to express their appreciation to family and friends for all their prayers and support during his illness.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Chesapeake, Virginia, on July 22 at 1 p.m. with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the American Heart Association.