John Bruce Bateman

We are sorry to announce the passing of J. Bruce Bateman on Friday, October 16, 2026. He is survived by his loving wife, Bernadetta, his two sons, Very Rev. John B. Bateman, pastor of St Joseph Church in Mechanicsburg, PA and Mr. Charles Bateman [Angela] of Johns Island, SC, and by his sister, Roberta Bateman [Mrs. Ralph Lotspeich] and his grandchildren, Lucas Bateman of Mechanicsburg, PA, and Victoria LaBelle [Mark] and their children, Jack, Elaine, Peter and Josephine of Baton Rouge, LA. He would also want to mention his cousin Dr. Robert H. Goldsmith of Leonardtown, MD as well as his many nieces and nephews of the Bateman family in Baltimore and the Lotspeich family in Merritt Island, FL.

Mr. Bateman’s active music career continued from 1948 until 2021 as a church organist and choir director at numerous churches for many years, including the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen and Saint Dominic Church in Baltimore, the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Harrisburg, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Melbourne FL and the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Port Perry, Toronto, Ontario. As a member of The Space Coast Chapter of the AGO, he performed numerous organ recitals, and he gave piano and vocal programs at Senior Residences in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario and in Central Florida – most recently at his present residence of Buena Vida. He is mourned also by In-laws in The Netherlands and Toronto Canada.

Professor Bateman’s teaching career spanned 35 years at The Boys Latin School, Roland Park, MD and at the Harrisburg Area Community College, teaching music and English.

Mr. Bateman was a graduate of Loyola High School, Towson, MD, Class of ’53; of St Mary’s Seminary and University Class of ’60; of Loyola University, Baltimore, Class of ’65 and of Columbia University TC, New York City class of ’73.

A requiem Mass will be offered by Very Rev. John B. Bateman in Melbourne FL at Our Lady of Lourdes on Friday, October 23 at 10am. A Celebration of Life will be conducted in West Melbourne, FL at Buena Vida Estates on a future date yet to be determined.