Remembering the life of a Three Rivers titan: Bruce Monroe

While Bruce Monroe’s restoration work reshaped parts of downtown Three Rivers, those closest to him say it was the care he showed people that mattered most.

“Bruce was my father. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that he was as good of a father as anyone could ever hope to have. My brothers and I grew up with endless love and support from our dad. Our family is all still very close, which I think is a testament to my father and the environment he created and fostered for us,” Bruce’s youngest son, Evan Monroe wrote.

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***Bruce Monroe (Courtesy: Evan Monroe)***

Bruce Monroe, 76, of Three Rivers, passed away Monday, December 1, 2025, at home surrounded by his family.

Monroe spent his life cultivating deep relationships with those he loved — and creating places in his community for others to do the same.

“He will be remembered as the incredibly kind and generous person that he was. He was affable and charismatic, with a warmth and effortless charm that made him a lot of fun to be around. He was intelligent and witty, quick to smile and laugh, and always ready with a quip or cheesy pun — or some other type of ‘smart-ass’ comment, as my mother would say,” wrote Bruce’s youngest son, Evan Monroe.

Bruce was born August 3, 1949, in Three Rivers and spent most of his life in the community. He began working for the Johnson Corporation in 1981 in sales and marketing and retired from the company as chairman in 2005.

One month after retiring, Monroe purchased the Riviera Theatre in downtown Three Rivers and launched a three-year restoration with his sons, reopening it in 2008. The project was sparked by his family history with the theater, and Monroe’s passion for philanthropy and bringing the arts to Three Rivers.

“He loved nothing more than spending time sharing good food and wine and stories with family and friends, but he was also welcoming with anyone he met. He gave countless tours of the Riviera to random passersby. When the theater was closed — either during construction or just before business hours — anyone on the sidewalk who expressed even a little interest in the theater, peering in windows or looking at posters, would be welcomed in by my father and given a full tour,” Evan Monroe wrote.

Today, the Riviera Theatre shines in the heart of downtown Three Rivers, projecting Monroe’s legacy of generosity, restoration, and community investment.

Monroe also played a key role in the expansion of the Carnegie Center for the Arts in downtown Three Rivers.

“He helped when the Carnegie did its big expansion more than 20 years ago. They grew from the original Carnegie Library into the old bank — the former First Savings Bank building — and the building in between. Bruce’s family bought that old bank to donate to the Carnegie, and he did things like that over the years. He believed in Three Rivers. He lived his whole life here, except for college, and he gave back in many, many ways,” Monroe’s brother-in-law Tom Lowry told Watershed Voice.

While Monroe’s restoration work reshaped parts of downtown Three Rivers, those closest to him say it was the care he showed people that mattered most.

Monroe and his wife, Cynthia Giacobone — his high school sweetheart — raised three sons in Three Rivers: Brendan Giacobone Monroe, Colin Giacobone Monroe and Evan Giacobone Monroe.

Lowry said Monroe’s “love of life” carried through his relationships and adventures.

“He loved to ski, loved to swim in the summer, loved going up north. He just had a very strong love of life and did as much as he could. He was very active physically and athletically, and he was just fun to be around. He was respectful of people and smart,” Lowry said.

Lowry also recalled the time he and Monroe spent attending Civil War reenactments together. Monroe’s third-great-grandfather served in the Civil War with the Michigan 11th Infantry Regiment.

“Bruce and I went to a number of reenactments and commemorations, including Appomattox. That one was especially memorable. We had been attending events for a couple of years by then, and we recognized many of the same reenactors. Some of them — people our same age — were literally crying during the reenactment, not for show, but because it represented a multi-year journey for them,” Lowry said. “Bruce and I both agreed it was an unforgettable experience.”