J. Bruce Alessie, a long-time civil servant for the town of Stratford, passed away on Thursday. For more than a dozen years he was the special projects coordinator for the town's .
"Bruce Alessie was one of a kind. His service to his town, his church and his community was profound and heart-felt," said Mayor John Harkins in a statement. "My deepest condolences go out to his wife Jane, and his family. He will be forever missed."
According to Alessie’s LinkedIn page, he was a 1962 graduate from the University of Dayton and a commercial realtor from 1989 up until 2000.
Alessie's Office of Economic Development worked to attract new business to town -- while also helping retain or expand existing business. According to the town website, the office "provides support and assistance to businesses and developers through the permitting process" and "compiles and maintains statistical data."
Editor's note: The original publication date of this article (Jan. 6) has been changed to accommodate layout preferences.
