Bruce Richard Schuman was a native Californian, born in Berkeley, living most of his life in coastal California – Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara.  Bruce came to Monterey at age 4 when his father Richard was hired to teach at what was then called Monterey Union High School. That Monterey childhood was full of the simple pleasures that living in such a beautiful region offered — freedom to ride bikes “around the water,” to explore the old cannery buildings, to have beach parties with bonfires at Carmel Beach and the mouth of the river, to camp in Big Sur, and to venture to Yosemite for annual family vacations. Bruce attended local public schools, graduating from Monterey High (where he played the trombone and excelled on the tennis team) in 1962. It was during a solo hitchhiking adventure in Europe in 1963 that Bruce received the news of his father’s sudden illness, a brain tumor that led to the senior Mr. Schuman’s death in January of 1964 at the age of 47.

In his own struggle with cancer, Bruce recalled his deep love and admiration for his father, who would tease his son with the words: “I got the looks and you got the brains.” And Bruce did have the brains. He was a gifted writer and poet, leaving behind beautiful and intriguing letters and emails to friends and family, full of classical references, unusual insight, and humor. He was also a physical adventurer, a spiritual explorer, and an avid reader, once describing himself as a man who “got on his horse and went off in all directions.” In 1987 he received his B.A. in psychology from UC Santa Cruz.

While teaching himself the intersection of epistemology, ontology and spirituality, Bruce worked as a house painter for some years. Upon the birth of the computer era, he entered wholeheartedly into programming and web design. Over the decades he built many significant and still operating websites that networked people and organizations, such as okini.net in support of the Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Reservations in South Dakota, Standing Women (standingwomen.net), an online collaborative of women’s groups speaking out on behalf of a better future for our children and our planet, and an interactive forum for the Santa Barbara Conscious Evolution community. Every interfaith project, every new mode of communication, every outreach across borders was a building block in Bruce’s vision of “oneness” on Earth, how technology might be used to connect and utilize the diverse wisdom of humankind for the benefit of all.

In Santa Barbara, where Bruce lived for the past 30 years, he hiked almost daily up the trail of “his” mountain in Eling’s Park. Being on that trail, where he could “go high, see far,” often restored him physically and spiritually.

Bruce died in Santa Barbara, California, on September 3, 2022, at age 78. The cause of death was neuroendocrine cancer, diagnosed in December 2020. Bruce was predeceased by his parents, Richard (d. 1964) and Aleida (d. 2000), and is survived by his sister Sally of Providence, Rhode Island and her family. Many friends both local and global mourn his passing.

Sally wishes to express her deep gratitude to the staff of Ridley-Tree Cancer Center in Santa Barbara, the VNA Hospice, Amara Maliszewski and staff of Hospice of Santa Barbara, and Paloma Espino and staff of Sarah House, where Bruce passed away. Bruce received nothing but the kindest and most expert care medically, emotionally, and spiritually during his final months. She is also deeply grateful to Lynne Monds, Bruce’s long-time beloved friend and companion, who was at his side during his last days and hours and at the moment of his passing.

This website is for friends and family to read about his life and work and share their memories and appreciations.