Bruce Peter Chereshkoff

Bruce Peter Chereshkoff was born on April 28, 1949. Bruce was the middle child of Edward and Beatrice Chereshkoff, with an older brother (Eddie) and younger sister (Kim). When he was a young boy, Bruce’s family moved from New Jersey to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

A favorite pastime from his earliest years was fishing. Whether the canals of Ft. Lauderdale, the docks of Kelly Gantt’s Pier on Marco Island or the open waters of the Gulf and the Atlantic, Bruce loved to fish. Consequently, more than once, Bruce found himself on the wrong end of a fishhook or a catfish spine. He loved fishing more than anything else, including school. One time, Bruce brought his catch home on a school day afternoon and insisted to his mother that he had been in school all day and had been given his string of fish by a stranger as he walked home.

Bruce was a talented artist, and was particularly fond of using india ink for his drawings. He had a vivid imagination and liked to invent cartoon characters that seemed other worldly. As a boy growing up, he dreamed of being a cartoonist for Walt Disney.

As he grew older, Bruce became a handsome, charming, ever-so-likeable young man. He was a good dancer. He was a good golfer. He played the accordion. He could make you laugh.

All of the girls were dreamy eyed for Bruce.

Bruce had a variety of jobs in life, most being close to his youthful interests in art and being outdoors. He was renowned for his custom auto detailing skills, with many of the south Florida professional wrestlers choosing him to provide artwork on their cars. He worked outdoors as a commercial fisherman, as a stone crabber and as an iron worker on many of the high rise buildings on Marco Island.

Bruce continued to live in south Florida until his 50s, when he moved to North Carolina to rejoin his family. While living in North Carolina, Bruce worked for his brother Eddie’s construction company. His specialty was interior painting that included custom decorative touches such as wall murals.

Bruce was an excellent cook who loved spices, herbs and exotic flavors. He was a devotee of “The Galloping Gourmet” and could make a delightful meal out of whatever was in the refrigerator. We will miss his Brunswick Stew, Ham & Bean Soup and especially his Orange Roughy with Oyster Stuffing.

While Bruce loved being on a boat in the ocean, his true passion in life was how much he cared about his family and large circle of friends. Bruce was gregarious and funny with stories to tell. Everyone liked Bruce and all were welcomed into his life as a friend. Bruce was a kind, loving soul who was generous to a fault.

Bruce died peacefully on March 20, 2023, in Asheville, North Carolina at the age of 73. Bruce is predeceased by his partner Gail, father Edward Sr., mother Beatrice and brother Edward Jr. He is survived by his daughter Bridget, grand-daughter Claire, sister Kim, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bruce left us love, laughter and friendship. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Coastal Conservation Association.

Friends are invited to visit at https://brucechereshkoff.com

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