Bruce Holmes and I would simply get into disagreements at times whenever we met each other. I felt his opinions were not accurate and challenged him. He would counter with, “Chip, whose side are you on, the insurance company engineers who are not truthful or for what the science shows?” How was I to respond to that logic?
Bruce wrote a Guest Blog (insurance company retained and anybody can write one) a long time ago, Engineer Bruce Holmes Calls Out Fellow Engineers. I cringed at allowing it to be published, but the truth is important.
Bruce started remarking on Facebook about my blog posts and noticing that I was back racing sailboats and especially, Merlin. He wrote: the following Facebook posts:
Sadly, Bruce lost his battle with leukemia last week. I will miss him. The University of Florida has a fantastic engineering school that he was proud of, and I am too. Here is his obituary and I suggest everybody find a cause to donate and let his family know:
Bruce E. Holmes, 71, of Stuart, Florida, passed away on April 7, 2020 at his home.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he had been a resident of both Stuart FL and Alameda, California for many years. He loved both coasts!!
He was a lifelong Floridian and graduate of the University of Florida with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineering.
He had served in the U.S. Army attaining the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
Formerly a partner with R.W. Beck, he operated the firm, Holmes Enterprises, where he provided consulting, forensic engineering, expert witness, and inspections services for residential and commercial properties.
Survivors include his daughters, Stephanie Bourne of Apex, NC (husband Eric and children Victoria, Andrew, and Grant) and Suzanne Michaels of Sarasota, FL (husband John, children, Alexander, Olivia, and Julian.) In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that any donations be made in Bruce’s honor to an organization of their choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Treasure Coast Seawinds Funeral Home, Stuart. There is an online registry at: http://www.treasurecoastseawinds.com/.
