Bruce E. Breslauer

Bruce E. Breslauer passed away at age 75 on July 23, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in San Francisco, CA, on December 26, 1949, to Alfred F. Breslauer and Margaret Slate Breslauer. He was a musical child and learned to play the violin some before settling on the clarinet in elementary school. He became quite proficient with it.

After graduating from Berkeley High School as co-Valedictorian in 1967, he went on to earn a B.A. in music history and German literature from Oberlin College in Ohio in 1972, a M.A. in music from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1973, a M.A. in teaching people with disabilities from San Francisco State University in 1977, a M.A. in Orientation and Mobility from Western Michigan University in 2005, and a M.A. in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy from Western Michigan University in 2009.

Bruce married Susan Phillips in June of 1977. They lived in many different cities while Bruce worked several different jobs and also pursued his academic career. He was a Braille teacher at the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, and a museum curator for a museum in San Francisco responsible for making the museum accessible for people with disabilities. They lived in San Francisco, CA; Evanston and Highland Park, IL; Omaha, NE; Sacramento, CA; and Billings, MT. They later divorced.

In 1997, Bruce married Joy Goodover Breslauer, who had two children, Jill and Sean, from a previous marriage. In 1998 they moved to Great Falls to be nearer Joy’s family. They celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary on September 27, 2024.

In 2006, Bruce began working for the Blind/Low Vision Services office in Great Falls as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist and a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, eventually becoming supervisor of the department in 2011. In this capacity he served 17 counties. He retired in 2017.

For many decades, Bruce was very involved in the National Federation of the Blind, a national civil rights and advocacy consumer organization with affiliates in every state, D.C., and Puerto Rico. He was also a member of the Aitz Chaim Jewish community, (Great Falls Hebrew Association), and became a member of Emmanuel Bible Church in Great Falls. He was also president of the Oberlin College alumni class of 1972. He enjoyed listening to all kinds of music, including classical, country, oldies, and opera. He was a voracious reader, and he loved to travel. When he was a boy, his parents took him on trips to several foreign destinations, including Israel. When he visited Hawaii, he learned to surf.

Bruce is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Joy Breslauer of Great Falls; stepmother-in-law, Delores Landsverk of Great Falls; daughter, Jill (Jason) Sanderson of Billings; sons, Sean (Theresa Boggs) Root (Honorary) of Great Falls and Brian (Carol) Landsverk (Honorary) of Helena; brother, Alfred F. (Ardis) Breslauer, Jr., (Honorary) of San Francisco; brother-in-law, Pat Goodover (Honorary) of Great Falls; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ken and Lynn (Honorary) Seiger of Bozeman; many nieces and nephews; and eight grandchildren, Derek and Danielle Jorgensen of Billings, Blake and Beckett Sanderson of Billings, Veda and Connor Root of Great Falls, and Calebh (Honorary) and Kendall Boggs of Great Falls. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Margaret Breslauer; his sister, Kay (Roland) Payne; his sister-in-law, Joelene Goodover; a nephew, Jason Seiger (Honorary); and a grandson, Damon Jorgensen (Honorary).

Bruce’s family would like to particularly thank Dr. Thomas Warr, M.D., Bruce’s oncologist, his nurse Patsy, and the staff of the Great Falls Clinic Infusion Center, for doing everything they knew to fight Bruce’s cancer. We would also like to thank the staff of the Benefis ICU for giving such compassionate care to Bruce during his final few days.

A memorial service will be held at the Emmanual Bible Church on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. The service will be live streamed for those who cannot be present. https://www.schniderfuneralhome.com/obituaries/bruce-breslauer

Memorials are suggested to the National Federation of the Blind of Montana, P.O. Box 2032, Helena, MT 59604.