A Loving Legacy in Bridgeport

Bruce Hubler was perched atop a Bridgeport beach lifeguard stand the moment his 58-year love affair began with his future wife, Michele. Soon, they also shared an enduring love for the city.

Bruce was the third generation in his family to live in the city, and Michele had moved there as a teen. After they married, they bought a home in Bridgeport’s Black Rock neighborhood and never left, despite Bruce’s business successes tugging him toward New York City.

“We couldn’t get ourselves to step out of Bridgeport,” Bruce reflected. “We loved it there.”

The Hubler’s interest and involvement in the city’s neighborhoods and people enriched their lives in countless ways. Bruce served on five nonprofit boards, including the Community Foundation’s, and Michele devoted her energies to many local charities.

Before Michele passed away in 2021, the Hublers discussed creating a ‘legacy gift’ through the Community Foundation. They were keenly aware of the educational disparities facing Bridgeport’s young people compared to their suburban peers, and the couple viewed philanthropy as a way to break down barriers keeping youth from equal opportunities to do well.

Through a bequest in his will, Bruce set up the Bruce and Michele Hubler Fund, which will solely benefit Bridgeport residents after his lifetime. The Community Foundation will award grants from the fund to support children’s summer enrichment activities and the health and welfare of preschool children and older adults with lower incomes.

“Michele and I felt we’d been pretty lucky in life,” Bruce reflected, “and we decided we should focus some of our good fortune to help others in Bridgeport.”