Obituary of Bruce Pirnie

It is with great sadness we share that Warren Bruce Pirnie III passed away in the early morning of August 8, 2024. He was 81 years old. Often referred to as a “Legend” of Canadian Track and Field, Bruce’s participation in Canadian sport spanned more than 5 decades, first as an elite international athlete and Canadian Olympian, and later as a local, national, and international throwing coach.

Born on September 20, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts, Bruce and his younger brother, Alexander (Gus), spent many of their formative years in the idyllic farmlands of Dover, Massachusetts, on their family’s expansive acreage. At the age of 9, Bruce’s family moved to Springfield, Vermont, where he stayed until completing grade school. An avid player of all types of sports, Bruce’s youthful athletic exploits began with Little League baseball, ski patrol (Okemo Mountain, VT), and Varsity football. Immediately after graduating, Bruce left for Yankton College in South Dakota to successfully pursue a BA in History, while also lettering in track, football, basketball and tennis during his tenure.  It was at Yankton that Bruce found a community board post for the International Peace Gardens Track and Field camps, forever changing his life’s ambitions and trajectory.

Giving up his U.S. citizenship to compete in shotput for Canada, Bruce competed and was captain of the Track and Field Team at the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He won a Bronze medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games, and earned a Gold medal at the Pan AM Games in Mexico City in 1975. He set a Canadian record in 1975 with his best throw of 19.88m. He later went on to serve as an athlete rep on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Track and Field Association.

Although there is too much to account for here, Bruce Pirnie’s retirement from individual competition marked the beginning of a prolific period of coaching and mentorship:  Head Track and Field Coach at the University of Manitoba (1994-1998); Director of the National Coaching Institute (1999-2004); National Development Director for Athletics Canada (2004-2007); Paralympics Head Coach for Athletics Canada (2007-2009); and Throws Coach at the University of Manitoba (2012). Retiring to a rural property in Arnes, MB, Bruce added throwing circles to his property, inviting local throwers and their coaches to come and train across throwing events, including shotput, hammer throw, discus, and javelin.

See https://athleticsmanitoba.com/bruce-pirnie/ for more details.

Bruce was twice inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame: first, in 1987 in recognition of his athletic and coaching contributions to Canadian Track and Field, and again in 2008 for his membership with the St. Vital Bulldogs Senior Football Champions, 1968-69.  

Although Bruce Pirnie was well recognized for his athletic and coaching accomplishments, for those that loved him, he might also be remembered as: a Civil War buff; a guitar and banjo player; an avid fan of 60’s and 70’s folk and rock; a collector of elephant and Disney paraphernalia; an NBA addict (Go Boston Celtics!); a voracious reader of science fiction, fantasy, and political intrigue; a regular at used bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops; a long-time lover of cats; an enthusiast of Christmas and craft markets; a performer of funny voices and all-round goofiness; a researcher of family genealogy; birdwatcher; a good listener; and a proud and loyal champion of his athletes, colleagues, friends, and family.  

The family would like to offer their heartfelt thanks to all the health care providers who cared for Bruce in the Gimli Hospital and Health Sciences Center.

Bruce is survived by his younger brother Gus (Chrissy), his daughters Elizabeth (Rob) and Catharine (Peter) and their mother, Karen; Jae (Kevin) and her mother, Jane; his ex-wife Judy; and his grandson (Graeme).

A celebration-of-life for friends and family will be planned and announced at a later date. If you would like to contribute pictures or stories to this event, please email [email protected].