Dennis Gary Rugg

Dennis Gary Rugg 11/30/36 - 2/17/14 Indialantic, FL Dennis Gary Rugg, 77, passed away quietly at home Monday, February 17, 2014, surrounded by his wife and four children, and his beloved Great Dane, Shadow. Dennis was born November 30, 1936, in Dearborn, Michigan, the second of five children. He read every book in his elementary school library and played football at Dearborn High School, before earning degrees in Physics and Math, with a minor in History, from Michigan State University. In college, Dennis was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, and was an intramural boxing and fencing champion. There he also met the love of his life, Lucille -- who said she always wanted to marry "a football player who read books." They were married 55 years. Dennis worked his entire career in aerospace as a "rocket scientist." After college, he spent 5 years at Boeing, moving his growing family around the country to work on Minuteman missile sites. The next 4 years were at Bendix, creating technical equipment for astronauts to carry to the moon, while completing his MBA at Central Michigan University and earning his pilot's license. He finished the last 27 years of his career as a program manager at Radiation Corp., then Harris, where he earned Program Manager of the Year for the GASD and Electronic Systems Sector in 1991, and served as a Director. Dennis also gave generously of his time and expertise to the community. He was well-known to Space Coast swimmers as a starter, referee, and meet manager of numerous local swim meets from 1972 to 1985, and served 5 years as President of Platinum Coast Swim Club. He built the starting blocks for PCSC and Satellite High School, and helped carve out the wall at SHS pool so it could be certified to hold swim meets, which he ran for the club teams and SHS for many years. After his children were finished with swimming, Dennis moved on to competitive shooting, where he scored medals at a number of matches across the south and the Sunshine State Games, and served as secretary of the Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club. He also trained his family's Great Danes as show dogs, and served the Indian River Dog Training Club as its treasurer. In his spare time, Dennis enjoyed several thousand rounds of golf at Harbor City Golf Course on Lake Washington Road. Dennis is survived by his wife Lucy, and his four children: Tony, a landscape architect in Denver, CO, and wife Debbe; Gigi, an English teacher living in Rhode Island, and husband David; Patrick, an engineer living in Ponce Inlet, and wife Julia; and Diana, a TV reporter in Charlotte, NC, and husband Michael. He was also 'grandpa' to six grandchildren: Chelsea, John, Dillon, Grace, Faith, and Michael; and one great-granddaughter, Londyn. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Beach Funeral Home at 1689 S. Patrick Drive in Indian Harbour Beach. Denny's family will welcome friends at 11 a.m. Friday, February 21, and have a memorial service at 12 noon.