Harry Russell Rugg, a longtime resident of Guilford, passed peacefully on Sept. 17 after an extended battle with cancer and COPD. Harry was born on March 7, 1944, the only child of Lavina Moore Rugg and Calvin Rugg. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Jacqueline; his two children, Marlana and Aaron; his daughter-in-law Emily; and his two grandsons Henry James (age 11) and Wesley Brian (age 6).
Harry shared fond memories of riding his bicycle over the cables for a speed trap and hitting them with a hammer to determine his speed. As such he was an engineer at heart. He graduated third out of more than 600 students in his high school class. He went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. While obtaining this degree, he met his loving wife Jackie at a Sigma Nu fraternity gathering.
Harry worked his way up from a mass properties engineer to the senior technical engineer during his 33 years at Sikorsky Aircraft. He was known as a man of integrity. Harry participated in exciting developments of the Hawk family (Black Hawk, Sea Hawk, Night Hawk, and Fire Hawk to name a few), and the S-72—an experimental hybrid helicopter fixed wing aircraft. He spent his three last years of his career working in Jingdezhen, China as part of a joint international venture building the S-97. In fact, the Chinese gifted him with a life-size replica of a Xian Warrior (a terra cotta statue of the archer).
His time in China also created an opportunity that allowed Harry and Jackie to travel to exotic places in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bangkok, and Bali. His time in China led to special experiences he shared with his children as well. He witnessed historical events when Hong Kong was returned to China in the summer of 1997 with his son Aaron. Harry attended the limited run of the opera Turandot in the Forbidden City of Beijing with his daughter Marlana. As his children grew, he enjoyed being his son’s assistant soccer coach along with the puzzles, Legos, and scavenger hunts he created for his children.
Harry had a lifelong love of technology from his first Apple 2E to his recently acquired iMac 27. It is a little-known fact that Harry was writing a book on Bridge and passed his love of playing cards on to multiple generations. Harry had a great love for the pets and extended family members of the “Rugga clan.”
A brief gathering was held at the graveside in the Alder Brook Cemetery located at 375 Boston St., Guilford, on Sept. 22. A remembrance of his life will be held at a later date at the Owenego Inn in Branford. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Biden-Harris Campaign at JoeBiden.com, or https://joebiden.com/#, or Biden for President, PO Box 58174, Philadelphia, PA 19102, or a charity of your choice. Arrangements in the care of the Guilford Sullivan Funeral Home, 115 Church St., Guilford. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.
