Carl John Lloyd Bruening, 76, passed away June 9, 2021 at his home in Boothbay Harbor of metastastic prostate bone cancer.

He was born Dec. 6, 1944 in Guttenberg, Iowa to Lloyd G Bruening and Lena Mary Dubois.

Carl grew up in Brunswick, Maine, attended local schools and graduated from Brunswick High School in 1964. After high school he started working in Boothbay Harbor as a cook at Brown Brothers Wharf. He was a Vietnam veteran in the USMC serving from 1966-1969. He then returned to Boothbay Harbor where he met his future wife, Judy Ann Bigelow of Stratton, Maine. They married Sept. 27, 1969. He also cooked at Fisherman’s Wharf, Tugboat Inn, and Jordan’s Upstairs-Downstairs. In December 1980 they moved to Stowe, Vermont, where Carl was a cook at The Trapp Family Lodge for two years. Carl then was ready for a career change, so they moved back to Boothbay Harbor where he started his own interior-exterior painting business. They retired in 2018.

Carl enjoyed playing sports his whole life. After meeting Judy he learned to ski and play tennis. He always took time off for a winter ski vacation in the western USA, Jackson Hole was his favorite resort.

Carl was predeceased by his parents.

He leaves his wife of 51 years, Judy; two brothers, Joseph (Dian) Bruening of Topsham, and Richard (Sharon) Yakubowski of Washington, North Carolina; brother-in-law, James (Linda) Bigelow of Stratton, Maine; nephews and a niece.

The family would like to thank Dr. Brian Haney and his team at New England Cancer Specialists in Topsham for their excellent care and support. Also, thank you to Beacon Hospice of Augusta for their compassionate care, especially to Dakota and Amber.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to New England Cancer Specialists or Beacon Hospice.

A private graveside service with military honors will be held at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta.

Hall’s of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com