Bruce Allen Krempetz Obituary (1949 - 2021)

Ron Larson '67 posted a photo:

Bruce Allan Krempetz was born on March 25, 1949, in Berwyn, Illinois, and passed away at age 72 on Nov. 30, 2021, in Paolo Alto, California. Bruce was born to Ed and Eileen (McIntyre) Krempetz in Berwyn, Ill., on March 25, 1949. In 1962 his family moved to California when his father was transferred to the Burlingame office of Western Electric. He graduated from Aragon High School in San Mateo in 1967, coming of age in the Summer of Love. He pursued his studies and early career as an actor at CSM, Cañada College and Humboldt State University, where he earned a B.A. in 1974. He appeared in films and on TV, including episodes of “The Streets of San Francisco” and in the Steve McQueen movie “Bullitt,” and acted and directed on the stage throughout Northern California.
In 1974 he joined the staff of Stanford University Public Events as a stage technician and rose to the position of Director of Stanford Events Operations. He managed major university events, including Commencement and Reunion Homecoming, Lively Arts performances, visits by dignitaries such as the Dalai Lama, President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton, President Gerald Ford, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, the queen of Thailand, and many others, performances by musicians ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to the Grateful Dead, every major American dance company of the time, drama performances and special broadcast events.
Bruce retired from Stanford in 2003 and began a second career as a drama teacher, substitute teacher and leader of an after-school drama program in the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District. He guided over 125 students through drama productions over the course of 10 years. He also volunteered as a 4-H leader and with various community organizations in La Honda and Pescadero.
Bruce was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016 and battled the disease with courage and optimism. Throughout his life he was known for his kindness, humor, curiosity, creativity and enormous capacity for love. He embraced this philosophy: “Every day, swim in gratitude, pedal forward in happiness and throw love all the f*** around.” In retirement, he enjoyed cooking, traveling, reading voraciously and puttering in his garden. He died on Nov. 30, 2021, at Stanford Hospital, surrounded by his family.
He is predeceased by his parents and his sisters-in-law Colleen McAvoy and Denise Kirchner. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Heather McAvoy, of La Honda; his children and their partners Margaux Lazarin (Gabriel), of Redwood City, Thomas Krempetz (Ariel McClendon), of Yelm, Wash., Joseph Krempetz (Amelia Maurer), of New Haven, Conn., and his ward, David Rock (Clary McCory), of La Honda; two grandchildren; his brother, Ron Krempetz (Dianne Judd), of Petaluma; sister Mary Krempetz, of Sonora; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
See article here: https://www.hmbreview.com/obituaries/bruce-allan-krempetz/article
See article here: https://lahonda.typepad.com/files/thelahondavoicejan-2022.pdf