Obituary of Bruce Victor Thomas

BRUCE VICTOR THOMAS

1931 - 2021

With sadness, we announce that Bruce passed away on January 8, 2021. He was born in Saskatoon on May 2, 1931, the elder son of Bill and Elizabeth (nee Kargut). He lived his entire life in the city he loved. Bruce attended Westmount School and Bedford Road Collegiate, and in 1949 his career path was set for life when he partnered with his father to establish Mayfair Hardware on 33^rd Street West. Bruce took great pride in maintaining an extensive inventory, which gained Mayfair Hardware the reputation as the place to go for rare or hard to find items. The toy section was a special treat for generations of children in the family and community. Bruce’s outgoing personality and infectious laugh were important factors in developing a large and loyal clientele; he was an iconic figure in Saskatoon’s small business community. He finally retired at 88 years of age when the pandemic forced the closure of the store. Bruce met his future wife, (Joyce) Elaine Berstad, while she was a student at the nearby Saskatoon Teachers’ College. They were married in Melfort in 1956 and were life partners for nearly 62 years, until Elaine's passing in 2018. Bruce and Elaine were longtime members of Mayfair United Church and supporters of numerous local charitable organizations. Bruce was a much loved brother, uncle and friend and will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and storytelling. He is survived by his brother Bob (Alice) of Calgary, nieces Rhonda Kerr of Calgary and Carla (Shane) Fandry of Houston, Texas and their families, as well as his and Elaine’s extended families. He will be greatly missed by all. His family would like to thank the caring health professionals at St. Paul’s Hospital, and Bruce’s devoted staff, friends and church community who supported him over the years, especially in recent months.

Due to current gathering restrictions there will be no formal service at this time.