Arthur Louis Ruedisueli

In the early morning of November 2, 2009, LCDR Arthur Louis Ruedisueli, USCG, retired, passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer for the past eight years. He fought so hard to live, enjoying life way beyond his prognosis. Born on Thursday, April 21, 1938, in Detroit, Mich., Art was the only child of the late James Charles Ruedisueli and Genevieve Lewin Ruedisueli. He attended St. Clair High School, St. Clair Shores, Mich., and graduated from the United States Coast Guard Officer's Candidate School, Yorktown, Va., in 1964. He also received an Associates Degree from Virginia Western Community College in 1995.
A seventh generation seaman, Art proudly served his country in the United States Coast Guard for 25 years. He enlisted three days after his eighteenth birthday in 1956 and rose through the ranks to become Commanding Officer of his own ship, the USCGC MARIPOSA, a 180 foot buoy tender, as Lieutenant Commander. He and his ship cleaned and re-set buoys in the summer and broke ice in the winter from Detroit, Mich., to the Saint Lawrence River. During his career, he served as Quartermaster on the USCGC MESQUITE, BUTTONWOOD, and WOODTHRUSH. As a LTJG, he was on the USCGC NETTLE and the USCGC BLACKHAW as XO. On the USCGC IRIS as a LT, he was also XO. His assignments took him to Honolulu, Astoria, Guam, the Philippine Islands, Cleveland, Toledo, Duluth, Yorktown, and Sault Ste. Marie. Art completed flight training at Pensacola, but chose to stay in surface operations. He did two tours of duty in Viet Nam, re-setting channel markers in the Mekong River after the Viet Cong would change them, trying to sink American ships, and helping to evacuate citizens from Saigon, during 1967 to 1968. Art's last assignment in the Coast Guard was as Director, Coast Guard Marine Environmental Protection Program, Great Lakes Region, Cleveland, Ohio, where he managed a $35 million fund used to clean up oil and hazardous substances on the entire Great Lakes and supervised a staff of 300 personnel. Service medals, commendations, citations, and decorations awarded Art include: Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal with Combat 'V,' Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Viet Nam Civil Actions Unit Citation, Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal, Coast Guard Expert Rifle Medal, Coast Guard Expert Pistol Medal, Officer Cutterman Insignia (Permanent) and the Commanding Officer Command at Sea Insignia.
Never a person to sit still, after Art retired from military life, he worked at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant as a procedure writer/illustrator for nine years and then at Hecht's until he was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. He was an accomplished woodworker and built several items, passing them along to friends. Art built and flew many radio-controlled airplanes in the Roanoke Valley. There wasn't anything he could not draw and then make.

While in Hawaii, Art was a Scoutmaster in the Aloha Council. He collected stamps from the time he was a small child and helped many Scouts start their own collections. He was a Companion of the Military Order of the World Wars, Roanoke, Va., serving as Vice Commander. Art belonged to Cavite City Masonic Lodge, Philippines, and was a former member of Carrie Lee Chapter No. 108, Order of the Eastern Star.
Art was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association and a member of Ridge Rifle Club, Fincastle, Va., where he enjoyed serving as Range Officer and scoring shooting matches. He was also a member of the Virginia Shooting Sports Association. Art finally got the 500-yard shot on a prairie dog hunt with his brother-in-law on a 2004 hunt in New Mexico.
Survivors include his loving and devoted wife of 26 years, Janina Utt Ruedisueli; and his children, David Ruedisueli and his fiancee, Cindy Beyler, of Michigan, Daniel Ruedisueli, of Pennsylvania, Deborah Ruedisueli Compo, of Michigan, Dawn Ruedisueli Heathman, of Washington state, Cavalier Anton (Tony) Romagnolo, who predeceased him, November 29, 2008, and Cristina (Tina) Romagnolo Gorman and her husband, Mike Gorman, of Richmond, Va. Also surviving are grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Chris and Margaret Cavalier and their daughter, Madelyn, of Pennsylvania, Race and Victoria Ruedisueli and their children, Isiah and Catalina, of Colorado, Daniel, Patrick, Randy, and Jeff Ruedisueli, of Ohio, Rianna Ruedisueli of Pennsylvania, Bruce DeBouvre and his son, Danny DeBouvre, Jackie Kersh, Jessica Kersh, and Ashley Kersh, all of Michigan, and Ruby Heathman, of Washington state. Shirley Ruedisueli, of Ohio, the mother of his four children, also survives. Art is also survived by his brother-in-law, J. Wayne Utt and his wife, Karen Wright, of Buchanan, Va.; close family friend, Elizabeth "Betsy" Stone; other relatives; the members of Ridge Rifle Club; and a host of friends.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2009, from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Monday, November 9, 2009, from 11 a.m. until the Memorial Service begins at noon. The Reverends G. Tolley Hurst, of Dublin, Va., and Charles Jones, of Taylors, S.C., will officiate. A reception for all friends and family will follow the service. Oakey's North Chapel and Crematory is handling arrangements, 540-362-1237.
"Remember, when you look out at the ocean,
that's just the top of it."
Arthur L. Ruedisueli -