Bruce Stephen Ruck, 85, of Potomac, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 14, 2026, with his wife Myrna and son Ryan by his side.

Bruce was born on October 20, 1940, in Brighton Beach, New York, to Murray and Rhoda Ruck, welcoming younger brother Dennis three years later. As an adolescent, Bruce and his family moved to Southeast, Washington, D.C., where he attended the Hebrew Academy before graduating from Anacostia High School in 1958.

In 1962, Bruce graduated from The University of Maryland, where he would become a teaching fellow and then get his master’s degree in teaching. Bruce would ultimately embark on what became a 43 year-long teaching career, spending his first-year teaching in Baltimore County, with several more years thereafter teaching in Prince George’s County, and concluding his teaching career for decades in Montgomery County at Einstein and Wheaton High Schools. Throughout his career, Bruce taught Spanish, Spanish literature, photography, photojournalism, computer science, ESOL, and yearbook. During that time, he also led his students to publish the only Spanish language magazine in Montgomery County.

Bruce had an incredibly strong work ethic. In addition to his job teaching high school during the day, he also taught Spanish at night, coached tennis and girls’ basketball, and worked at Penn Camera in Rockville for upwards of two decades.

In 1969, Bruce married Myrna Joy Spivak, whom he had first met at a B’nai Israel holiday singles dance in Washington, D.C. Together, Bruce and Myrna moved to Potomac, MD. In 1976, they welcomed son Ryan Alexander Ruck into their family. Bruce, Myrna and Ryan would share more than a lifetime’s worth of immeasurable celebrations in their neighborhood alongside Myrna’s twin Marvin Spivak and his family, their beloved Inverness Forest “framily”, and numerous four-legged sons and daughters.

Bruce will be best remembered for his endless dedication to teaching, to his Jewish faith, his adoration of his family, his time with his grandchildren, and his love of dogs, computers, cars, and aliens. He will also always be remembered for wandering every family celebration and event with a joke in his mouth and a camera at the ready in his hand. Bruce will be missed beyond measure.

In addition to his parents Murray and Rhoda, Bruce was predeceased by his younger brother, Dennis Ruck, his sister-in-law Sandra Kransdorf (and Ronnie), his sister-in-law Jeanne Spivak, and many other family members who both touched and shaped his life.

Bruce is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 57 years, Myrna, his devoted son Ryan, his dear brother-in-law Marvin Spivak, his many dedicated nephews and nieces Geoffrey Kransdorf, Andrew Kransdorf (Lorraine), Kipling Kransdorf (Ellen), Matthew Kransdorf (Ming), Amy Yontef-McGrath (John), Kevin Spivak (Kellie), Gregory Spivak (Zohar), David Yontef, Andrew Spivak (Jill), Robyn Dinallo (Kevin), and his brood of cherished “grandchildren”: Zachary, Aaron, Alexander, Ezekiel, Erica, Jacob, Sarah, Ella, Jordana, Annabelle, Alora, Lyla, Grady, Claire, Joseph, Kenzy, Raymond, Kate, Cosmo, Hunter, Cody, and Dasha; and countless other extended family members and dearest of friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.

All services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.