Dr. Bruce Montplaisir, age 78, of Onamia, Minn., passed away on April 21, 2025. A visitation will be held from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, ­­­­­­­­­­­May 3, 2025, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Onamia, Minn. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Onamia, Minn., with Father Jerry Schik officiating. Lunch will be provided after Mass in the Holy Cross community room. Interment will be in the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery near Little Falls, Minn. Arrangements are with the LeMieur Funeral Home in Onamia.

Dr. Bruce Montplaisir was born in Fargo N.D. on April 3, 1947. His parents were Henry and Jennet (Larum) Montplaisir. Bruce was the eighth of Henry and Jennet’s twelve children. The family lived in Horace, N.D. at the time.

Bruce graduated from Kindred, North Dakota High School in 1965. Attended Moorhead State University, graduated from the State University of New York with degrees in mathematics and physics in 1971, obtained a Masters from NDSU in Fargo, N.D. in 1975 and his doctorate from UND in Grand Forks, N.D. in 1980. His career included four years as a teacher, four years as a high school principal and thirty-one years as a superintendent of schools. Bruce was a paratrooper and served in the US Army during the Vietnam conflict as a communications expert with Company F 51st Infantry and with Company F 75th Rangers, both were long range recon units.

In 1971 Bruce married Mary Beth Eunice Carlson of Evansville, Minn. They had four children: Derrick (Sarah), Jennifer Smart, Henry and Korey (Rose). Bruce and Mary Beth have nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

At the time of his retirement in 2011 Bruce was on the Board of Directors of seven different non-profit organizations. Community service has always been an important part of his life. These boards did not include almost twenty years as a volunteer EMT. One of his greatest honors was serving as the District Governor for District 5M1 Lions Clubs International.

During his last years Bruce had many people help him get to medical appointments and take care of Mary Beth when he was not able to be there or just to give him a break from being a 24 hour a day seven days a week care giver. Bruce’s goal has been to make life a little bit better for those he encountered during his life.

Bruce was pre-deceased by his parents, Henry and Jenette and his wife of 52 years, Mary Beth; siblings, David, Jerome, Richard, Katherine, Edward, and Ellenor.

He is survived by his brothers, Ronnie (Linnea), and Michael (Wendy); sisters, Karen (Rick) Chase, Rosie (Tom) Seaburg, and Linda (Mike Schwab) See; his children, nine grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.