Street Roots • July 17-23, 2015
Vendors
Page 7
Remembering Bruce
B ruce Heino, one o f Street Roots' original
“I was so sorry to hear he had lost his battle with cancer
and had a challenging life. For years I bought his papers and
chatted with him about the headlines, the weather, the latest
political silliness. He turned me into a Street Roots supporter
and allowed me to see the value of having a Job to do and
keeping in touch with people?
vendors, passed away on July 6 after a long
fig h t with cancer. W hat follows is a personal
letter, from one o f his customers, who was by
his side when he died.
h e n I m oved to P ortland, I felt
.. —AlidaRol
■
really sh ak y an d isolated. B ruce,
m y n eig h b o rh o o d S tre e t R oots
vendor, w as a c o n s ta n t fo r m e. I n e e d e d
k in d n ess an d reliability, an d B ru ce w as
always th e re . T h e m o st sta b le and steady
p e rso n I k n ew in P o rtlan d tu rn e d o u t to b e
m y S tre e t R oots guy.
O yer th e p a s t six years, w e g o t to b e
frien d s. F o r five an d a half of th o se y e a rs w e
d id n ’t h an g o u t m u ch . We didn’t know o r
care a b o u t h ow each o th e r voted o r th e
n am es of o u r firs t dogs. We didn’t m e e t up
for b e e rs . We didn’t talk ab o u t T V show s o r
sw ap books. We s p e n t ab o u t 15 m in u tes a
w eek to g eth er, talking ab o u t w h atev er w as
going o n rig h t th e n an d th e r e — talking
a b o u t w h a t w as in th e p a p e r and talking
ab o u t sp o rts.
B ru ce ta u g h t m e a lo t ab o u t s p o rts and
sp o rts radio. H e ta u g h t m e ab o u t P o rtlan d
e tiq u e tte an d th e w ay th in g s w orked. H e
in tro d u c ed m e to th e S tre e t R oots fam ily
an d inv ited m e in. H e m e t m y fam ily and
frien d s w ho w e n t g ro c e ry shopping w ith
m e. H e se e m e d to re m e m b e r ev erything I
e v er told him , ev ery o n e h e m e t w ith m e and
ev ery issu e of th e p a p e r I ev er b o u g h t
M ostly, h e ta u g h t m e about relationships.
He taught me about warmth and
w elcom ing, k in d n ess an d em pathy. H e
ta u g h t m e ab o u t ju s t being p re s e n t and
paying atten tio n . H e w as always th e r e and
always land. H e sold m e p ap ers.
S o m etim es I’d cook him so m e special
h o m em ad e food, so m e tim es I ’d give him a
good tip. I didn’t care w h a t h e s p e n t his
m o n ey on, an d h e didn’t care w h ere m y
m o n ey cam e from . We w ere friends.
M y o th e r frien d s m ig h t w o n d er ab o u t o u r
re latio n sh ip an d say h e w as “ju s t” m y S tre e t
R o o ts vendor. I kn ew b e tte r. B ru ce m ad e a
big d ifferen ce in m y life and th e lives of
“So sorry to hear about the passing of Bruce. I used to look
forward to my Saturday shopping. I learned more about life in
talking to B ruce for 15 m in u tes a w eekend th an I ev er learn ed
in college. W hat a w onderful, insightful d u d e ?
—M. Neb Johnson
“I knew Bruce back when he used to sell the paper outside
Nature’s on Division and 30th years and years ago. At the
time, I was writing the occasional column and story for the
paper and Bruce would often give me feedback and
encouragement. I stopped seeing him when he moved to
Northeast, but my wife would see him and he’d often tell her
to tell me ‘hello.’ It was a simple thing, but I valued it. RIP,
Bruce and thanks for the friendship.”
— Petetewis
“Fly free, Bruce, your relationships were as important to
those that knew you as they were to you.”
-Jessica Inman
“I also met Bruce when he was selling outside Natures on
PHOTO
BY ISRAEL B A YER
o th e rs.
W hen h e g o t sick and n e e d e d a little
Street Roots will
extra help, he reached out to me. I got to
hold a vigil in
sp e n d a lot m o re tim e w ith him w h en h e
w as sick. T h a t’s w h en I g o t to know him a
little b it b etter. I still d on’t know how h e
voted o r th e n am e of h is firs t dog, b u t I do
know th a t I m iss him .
I t’s com forting for m e to know you all
and to b e p a rt of th e S tre e t R oots family. I
w o n d er how m any o th e r v en d o rs m ake th e
kind of difference in som ebody’s life th a t
B ru ce m ade in m ine. I’m su re it’s a lot.
T h an k s for th e m em o ries, B ruce, and
th a n k you to S tre e t Roots.
S tacey H eath
S tre e t R oots re a d e r and su p p o rte r
Brace’s memory
at 9a.m.
Division. H e w as su ch a kind p erso n , and I so valued th a t h e
w ould re m e m b e r m e an d recognize m e. H e sold th e re
so m etim es w ith A rt, th e poet. I saw B ru ce a few y e a rs ago on
th e bus, and it w as n ice to catch up. T hanks, S tre e t Roots, for
ev erything you do always, b u t especially today for sh a rin g th is
news and-giving us an opportunity to celebrate Bruce’s
kindness?
“He was always such a kind person. Quiet and understated
but lovely?
- Maura Cooney
July 25, at New
M M venoe
1
andKHlingsworth
Street.
- “T his b reak s m y h e a r t B ru ce w as so w elhversed in
com m unity n eed s a n d activities. I always enjoyed co n v ersatio n s
w ith him . RIP, B ru ce. You will b e m iss e d ?
;
\.
J ' 2
— f e t a Patten COOH^
“I also u se d to b uy my p a p e r from B ru c e o u tsid e o f N atu res
o n D ivision, b a c k in the day- W hat, a k ind m an an d g en tle soul?
— Jane Briesemeister Lewis
• 1
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