Bruce Berlind

Bruce Peter Berlind, 88, of Madison, passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014 at his home.
He was born July 17, 1926 in New York City, a son of Peter Sydney and Mae Miller Berlind. He graduated from Princeton and Johns Hopkins Universities. Bruce proudly served in the U.S. Army during WWII in Germany following VE day, and then in Japan during the Korean War. Bruce began teaching at Colgate University in 1954 where his specialty was modern American poetry. Beyond his extensive service as department chair, he also served on and chaired many committees. He began the Colgate English department visiting writers’ series in the 1960’s when he began hosting readings by American and British poets. Professor Berlind’s poems and translations were published in a variety of collections and literary journals. He was best known for his translations of Hungarian poetry, and was awarded the Hungarian PEN Memorial Medal for his translations in 1986. Following his retirement in 1988, he continued his travels to Budapest over the next two decades to work with Hungarian poets.
On January 17, 1985, Bruce married Jo Anne Pagano in Hamilton, NY.
He is survived by his wife; daughters and sons-in-law, Lise and Tim Blumenthal, Boulder, CO; Anne Berlind and husband, Ron Fluet, Portland, ME; Sasha and Doug Frey, Boston, MA; sons and daughters-in-law, John Berlind and wife, Elizabeth Brody, Burlington, VT; Paul Berlind and wife, Janet Cole, Leander, TX; brothers and sisters-in-law, Roger and Brook Berlind, NYC; Alan Berlind and wife, Andriana Ierodiaconou, Bordeau, France; Robert Berlind and wife, Mary Lucier, NYC; ten grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial services will be held at 4pm Saturday, November 15, 2014 at Colgate’s Chapel House in Hamilton.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 25 Broad St., Hamilton.