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(From the Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Dr. Bruce Janoff Obituary
Henderson, NV - Dr. Bruce Janoff of Sun City, Anthem, passed away on December 29, 2025, at age 84. Bruce was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh. He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College and went on to earn a Ph.D. in English literature at Ohio University.
Beginning in 1972, Bruce taught college-level English and film studies classes to U.S. troops stationed across the world as part of the University of Maryland's overseas division. Bruce taught on U.S. bases in Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Turkey, and Germany. Bruce went on to become a professor of English and film studies at the University of Pittsburgh from 1980 to 2003. Bruce and his life companion Carole Amendola then retired to Henderson, NV. Bruce quickly came out of retirement in 2004, however, when the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) recruited him to teach in their English Department five more years. Bruce also was a regular contributor to American National Biography, a division of Oxford University Press.
Bruce's companion of 43 years, Carole, passed away in 2023.
In their retirement, Bruce and Carole played tennis, traveled extensively throughout the American West, developed close friendship, and enjoyed visiting their local Green Valley Casino. For several years Bruce led the Lifelong Learning program in their Sun City, Anthem, community.
Bruce was a competitive tennis player his entire life. In 2009 he advanced to the finals of the National Senior Games tennis doubles held in Stanford, California.
Bruce had an exuberant sense of humor, especially appreciated satire, and was passionate about politics. He asked that contributions in his and Carole's memory be made to local PBS stations.
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In 2012 the Pittsburgh Tribune did a feature article on Bruce and Carole's move to Las Vegas. It is a long piece with lots of biographical information that you might like:
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We are saddened to share the news that our colleague, Bruce Janoff, passed away on December 29, 2025, at the age of 84. Born on February 16, 1941, Bruce lived in Henderson, Nevada. He fell ill in May 2025 and later moved to an assisted living community in Henderson. His partner Carole died in 2023.
Bruce was a dedicated full-time faculty member in the University of Maryland’s overseas divisions, teaching English and Film Studies. His Maryland career spanned continents: the Asian Division (1972–1974), the European Division (1975), and the Adelphi campus (1976). His teaching carried him to Japan, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Turkey, as well as to Adelphi, the Pentagon, and Bolling Air Force Base.
OMA is grateful to Bruce for coordinating the first large OMA gathering held beyond Adelphi. The milestone event he and Carole arranged in Las Vegas and Henderson in April 2014 laid the foundation for more than ten years of OMA gatherings.
His obituary will be posted here when it becomes available. His first cousin, Steve Wattenmaker (swatt3930@gmail.com, 202-841-1861 mobile), notified us of Bruce's passing and is handling his estate. https://obituaries.reviewjournal.com/obituary/bruce-janoff-1093405854
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Julie Porosky (Hamlin)
I'm sad to hear of Bruce's passing. He deserves a special salute for his overseas Marylanders oral history project. I well remember Paul and I sitting across from him in a conference room at the Adelphi center a few years ago for our interviews. Bruce was so astute in the questions he asked and so patient in guiding our recollections. He had a gift for the work, and I hope his contribution lives on.