Bruce David Dellea, 78, passed away at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington on Sunday, December 21, 2025. He was born in Great Barrington on April 11, 1947, the son of the late John C. and Mary L. (Ryder) Dellea.
In his youth, Bruce was a familiar face in the local community, working at Harry’s Poultry in Sheffield and Grant’s department store in downtown Great Barrington. On September 17, 1966, he wed the love of his life, Adair Jean Martel, at the Methodist Church in Alford.
Shortly after their marriage, Bruce answered the call to service, joining the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Pittsfield. During his time as a “weekend warrior,” he completed Basic Training at Fort Dix, N.J. He served with distinction as a Specialist E-4, specializing in the M1/M14 and M16 rifles as well as the M72 LAW and eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant, leading hand-to-hand combat training.
In 1968, Bruce began a 40-year career as a paper maker with the Rising Paper Company in Housatonic. This work defined much of his professional life until the mill’s closure forced his early retirement in 2007. That same year, following decades of health challenges for Adair, she suffered a brain bleed and lost her mobility. Bruce stepped fully into the role of her dedicated caregiver and cared for her with unwavering devotion until her passing in 2022. Bruce and Adair loved living in Alford, working and maintaining their family homestead together for 56 wonderful years.
An outdoorsman at heart, Bruce was an avid deer hunter until his early 50s, when he traded his compound bow for a camera. He spent his later years capturing the beauty of the Berkshires and the American landscape through hundreds of 35 mm film and digital photographs taken during cross-country trips with Adair. He was a true “jack of all trades” whose interests ranged from woodworking and gardening to coin and stamp collecting.
Bruce is survived by his son Arthur Dellea and his wife Rebekah and his three cherished grandchildren: Samuel, Talitha, and Josiah. He also leaves behind his sister Mildred Eichstedt of Southfield; his brother-in-law Leopold Damm of Florida; his sister-in-law Jane Thorn and her husband Tom of Pennsylvania; his “chosen kin” Wesley Wheeler of Connecticut; and many extended family and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife Adair; his son Andrew; five siblings; and several cherished brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and friends.
A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Alford Fire Department or Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad in Great Barrington. These contributions honor the first responders—true heroes who provided steadfast support to the Dellea family for many years.
