Bruce George McLaughlin, 85, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Sandy Hook, passed away on July 3, at his home in Colorado Springs, surrounded by his family and close friends. He died due to complications of congestive heart failure.

Bruce was born on June 16, 1939 in Spangler, Pennsylvania, in the heart of coal country where his maternal family resided, but he primarily grew up in Manhattan just off Times Square alongside his three siblings: Andra, Charles “Chuck,” and Douglas. The McLaughlin family spent vacations and weekends in Sandy Hook before relocating in the late 1940s to Colorado Springs.

An avid sportsman, Bruce excelled in short-track speed skating, ice hockey, and golf. In Colorado Springs, he and his brothers led an adventurous and sometimes mischievous life, trekking through the mountains, hunting, skiing, and sneaking into The Broadmoor Hotel. When this lifestyle became too much, Bruce was sent to Wilbraham Academy in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he excelled at ice hockey and developed a lifelong love of reading.

After graduating, Bruce attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he played on the varsity golf team. He soon transferred to Colorado College where he continued to excel in golf. During his time at Colorado College, Bruce discovered a passion for anthropology, human evolution, and geology. In 1961, he worked on the crew that built Kissing Camels Golf Course at the Garden of the Gods.

Following an intense loss at the Broadmoor Invitational golf tournament, Bruce decided against a professional golf career. He and his brother Chuck moved to Anchorage, Alaska, after the devastating 9.3 magnitude earthquake in 1964. There, Bruce worked various clean-up jobs before joining a fishing crew, trawling the Alaskan waters.

Upon returning to New York City in the mid-60s, Bruce joined his father at McLaughlin Research Corporation, a defense contractor, where he studied computer programming. He then co-founded a division that developed one of the first computerized maintenance systems for private aircraft, leading to the creation of Camp Systems, where he served as the Chair of the Board until it was sold in the 1990s. Bruce continued to serve on the Board of Directors of McLaughlin Research Corporation for many years.

A serial entrepreneur, Bruce founded three wineries: Pikes Peak Vineyards, Minturn Cellars, and McLaughlin Vineyards. Later, he and his business partner established the Wines of Colorado in Cascade. During the 1980s and 90s, Bruce maintained an ice rink on the pond behind his house in Colorado Springs, which became a mecca for local hockey players and skaters. During this period, Bruce and his friend Brian Hayes also started the ice rink in Victor, Colorado, culminating in the Victor Cup, a winner-take-all hockey game between Victor and Colorado Springs.

In his later years, Bruce spent time in Sandy Hook, cultivating his vineyard and property alongside his daughter Morgen. He enjoyed operating a sawmill from his harvested trees, promoting concerts and weddings, building forest trails, maple sugaring, and winemaking. Bruce was happiest driving the tractor through the vines or working in the cellar after a long day of harvesting.

Throughout his life, Bruce maintained a love of reading, bicycling, golf and natural science. He was open-minded and did not see distinctions of class, education, or wealth. He had a wide circle of friends from all walks of life, championed the underdog, and preferred movie villains over heroes. Known for the mischievous twinkle in his eye, his gruff voice, and love of vodka martinis, Bruce was a quiet observer of humankind who loved to point out the absurdities and hypocrisies of society. His favorite line was “it’s fun, isn’t it?,” a mantra that characterized his full life.

He is survived by his wife, Marietta “Taffy” McLaughlin; his daughter, Morgen McLaughlin, and her husband, Nathaniel Smith, of Portland, Oregon, and their children, Grehson, Hayden, and Mason; his son, Justin McLaughlin, and his wife, Dora, of Brookline, Massachusetts, and their children, Madeleine and Margot.

A Celebration of Life is planned for August 22 in Colorado Springs. Details are available at https://brucemclaughlin.rsvpify.com.