Edward D. Ruhl died peacefully on June 17, 2023 surrounded by his children at the Regional Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Danbury, CT.
Born in the Bronx on September 26, 1929 to Charles and Phyllis (Lentini) Ruhl, he was the older brother to Marilyn (Ruhl) Codd.
After moving to Grant City, Staten Island as a young boy in the early 1930s, he grew up playing sandlot baseball and football for the Little Giants, shooting marbles and jacks on the sidewalks, swinging the stickball in the streets, tending to the Victory Garden in the back yard with his mother and making homemade root beer in the cellar with his dad. The friends he made in his childhood remained throughout his life and ones he treasured always.
As a student at PS 41 in Grant City, he excelled in all areas, particularly math. In high school, he played football, acted in school plays, developed his love of Big Band and Frank Sinatra music and had a knack for dancing. After graduating from New Dorp High School in 1947, he attended Rutgers University School of Business and graduated cum laude with a degree in Business/Accounting in 1951. Shortly after, Ed was drafted into the United States Army, 2nd Armored Tank Division and sent to Germany. As a Post-WWII soldier, he served two years in various German cities serving as an office clerk (‘Radar Ruhl’) and a records bookkeeper.
A self-proclaimed “Grunt” soldier, he found purpose as an entertainer, performing in shows and acting in company skits. As he made his way back home on the USS Marine Carp in August 1953, he worked as the librarian down at the bottom of the ship; a position he appreciated as all the soldiers on the upper decks were seasick the entire voyage back to New York City. He then attended New York University where he earned his MBA in 1956.
Yet, it was an innocent encounter at New Dorp High School that changed his life. He was introduced to his sister Marilyn’s friend, Patricia Hyland, and quickly forged a love that lasted 62 years. They loved to dance…and they were good! They could be found on the dancefloor at every wedding and dinner theater. Besides dancing, they enjoyed time at Midland Beach on Staten Island and on any beach along the Jersey Shore. After he returned from Germany, Ed gave his love an engagement ring on Christmas Eve and were married on October 10, 1953. It wasn’t long before they started a family on 10th Street in New Dorp. Ed commuted on the Staten Island Ferry into midtown Manhattan and worked as an accountant for AmAx/American Metal Ltd. He particularly enjoyed lunchtime as his window overlooked the outdoor backstage balcony where the Radio City Rockettes sunbathed and socialized.
Ed and Pat quickly filled the 10th Street house with Kathy, Susan, Eddie, Jim, and Trish. They moved the family to Freehold, NJ in 1964. It was here that they added Nancy to the mix and enjoyed life on Stonehurst Blvd. Ed spent lots of time with the Freehold Little League and youth basketball programs and was a co-founder of the Freehold Township Recreation Commission designing and overseeing the building of town playgrounds. The Ruhl family belonged to St. Rose of Lima Church where the children were enrolled in the catholic school. They made many dear friends in Freehold, especially the Claytons, Lauros and Dubinowskis. Working for Borden, Ed specialized in tax accounting and continued commuting to and from NYC each day by bus.
When Ed transferred to AMF in White Plains, NY in 1972, they relocated to Ridgefield, CT and added Steven as the final piece to the Ruhl Family puzzle. With seven children, Mimosa Circle and Ridgefield served as the perfect place to raise such a large family. The Briodys, Markeys, Willeys, Archers and others were dear friends who always remained close to this day.
The Ruhls attended mass each Sunday at St. Mary’s Parish where Ed served as a lector and eucharistic minister, participated in the Knights of Columbus, ran the church Book Store, participated in the Emmaus program, co-chaired the St. Mary’s Fair Raffle for 28 years and oversaw the counting and recording of weekly church collections. In addition, Ed volunteered at the American Red Cross blood drives in Ridgefield and Danbury.
As AMF’s Director of Taxes, Ed spent the next 14 years preparing corporate taxes as well as tax returns for friends and family along the east coast. It was with his years at AMF that Ed and Pat got the chance to travel to many places within the United States. Eventually, they expanded their adventures by going on countless Caribbean cruises, European trips with Tauck Tours, and a pilgrimage to Ephesus, Turkey, the birthplace of the Virgin Mary.
When he wasn’t volunteering his time or traveling the globe, Ed and Pat loved spending as much time as possible with their growing family. Whether visiting family in Virginia, Massachusetts or neighboring Connecticut towns, they could be found relaxing on the beaches of Beach Haven in Long Beach Island, NJ every July with the entire family. In 2010, they treated everyone (29 in total) to a Ruhl Family Reunion in Jamaica. Those were cherished memories up until Pat’s passing in 2018. His love for his Patsy never faded and he looked forward to the day when he would dance with her again.
Ed cherished his time with his 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. He was Grandpa to some, Pop-Pop and Poopa to others. Regardless of his name, he always had a funny line, a quick joke, words of wisdom or a detailed story to tell. He enjoyed everything chocolate, doing jigsaw puzzles and the New York Times crossword puzzle, following the NY stock market, watching Let’s Make a Deal/The Price is Right in the mornings and Jeopardy/Wheel of Fortune at night and rooting for the UConn Girls Basketball team, the NY Giants and the NY Mets (or, as he would refer to often, ‘The Amazin’ Mess’).
Ed Ruhl lived a wonderful life as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend and will be deeply missed. Besides the beloved husband of the late Patricia (Hyland) Ruhl of Danbury, Ed is also survived by his sister Marilyn Codd [late Tom Codd] from Cos Cob, CT, his sisters-in-law Maureen Hansen [late Ronald Hansen] of Davenport, FL, Barbara Adone [Carmine Picciotto] of Sarasota, FL, and Linda Hyland [late James Hyland] of Staten Island, NY. In addition, Ed is survived by his children: Katherine Ruhl from Bethel, CT, Susan Wence and husband Stephen from Winchester, VA, Ed Ruhl and wife Nancy from Westboro, MA, James Ruhl from Danbury, CT, Patricia Principi and husband John from Sandy Hook, CT, Nancy Hurley and husband Tim from Wakefield, MA and Steven Ruhl and wife Andrea from Beacon Falls, CT. Included are his pride and joy - his grandchildren; Katie Sizemore [Matt] of Paris, VA, Dane Wence [Sarah] of Winchester, VA, Luke Wence [Christina] of Berryville, VA, Brian Ruhl [Samantha] of Framingham, MA, Kevin Ruhl [Rachael King] of Allston, MA, Matthew Ruhl of Boston, MA, Sara Principi [Vinny Sottile] of Harrington, DE, Jessica Principi [Noel Saharig] of Albequerque, NM, Matt Principi [Cassie Scott] of Cromwell, CT, Grace Hurley [Brian Dickey] of Boston, MA, Timmy Hurley of Boston, MA, Caroline Hurley and Danny Hurley of Wakefield, MA, and Meghan Ruhl and Emily Ruhl of Beacon Falls, CT as well as his cherished great grandchildren Wyatt, Walker and Winnie Sizemore, Graham, Hadley and Sawyer Wence and Lucy Ruhl and many, many dear nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two sisters-in-law, Cathleen Fischer and Karen Wallace as well as two brothers-in-law, Tom Codd and James Hyland.
A special appreciation to his friends at St. Mary’s Parish in both Ridgefield and Bethel, his home aide, Andrea Pedicano, the Home Hospice nurses, Jean Osuch and Amy Bauer, and the entire Regional Hospice staff in Danbury who tenderly cared for and loved him up until the very end.
Family and friends will be received on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Saint Mary's Church; 55 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment with US Military Funeral Honors will follow in Saint Mary's Cemetery; 110 North Street, Ridgefield.
Contributions in Ed's memory may be made to Regional Hospice and Homecare - 30 Milestone Road; Danbury, CT 06810, http://www.regionalhospicect.org.