Arthur H. Ruggles Jr.

GREENFIELD, Mass. -- Arthur H. Ruggles Jr., 89, of 17 High St., in Greenfield died Tuesday, April 27, 2004, at Sunbridge Care & Rehabilitation for Hadley at Elaine Manor, where he had been a resident for five weeks.

He was born in Providence, R.I., on Jan. 26, 1915, the son of Arthur H. and Hazel Mae (Wheeler) Ruggles.

He graduated from the Providence Country Day School, from Deerfield Academy in 1933 and from Dartmouth College in 1937.

Mr. Ruggles served in the Army during World War II in England where he was an aide-de-camp to General Armstrong. During basic training, he received a citation for saving several lives in a B-25 mechanical mishap.

After active military service he returned to the faculty at Deerfield Academy, a position he had taken after graduation from Dartmouth. At Deerfield he was head ski coach from 1937 to 1970. He also coached soccer and lacrosse. He was recognized by fellow prep school ski coaches as “The Dean of Private School Ski Coaches.”

Beginning on a part-time basis in 1963, he was Santa Claus at Santa's Land in Putney, Vt. It became a full-time position when he retired from Deerfield in 1970. He was Santa Claus until 1999, when he retired at 84. He had spoken with tens of thousands of children.

He was fluent in French and German and had learned American Sign Language so he could converse with almost all visitors.

In addition to his active military service, he joined the Air Force Reserve and was past commander of the 9286th Air Reserve Squadron in Greenfield. He retired from the Air Force Reserve as a full colonel.

Mr. Ruggles was a member of the Eidelweiss Ski Club, secretary of Dartmouth Class of 1937, founder of the Retired Faculty Club at Deerfield Academy, and he was instrumental in founding the Greenfield Area Animal Shelter, now the Pioneer Valley Humane Society.

He was also past president of the Church Brotherhood of the First United Methodist Church.

Survivors include a son, Arthur “Terry” H. III and his wife, Vanna, of Greenfield; a daughter, Sabra A. Mayfield of Brookline; three grandsons, Scott and his wife, Anne, of Tilton, N.H., Todd and his wife, Patricia, of Greenfield, and Keith Mayfield of Los Angeles, Calif., and two great-grandchildren, Katherine Ann and Logan Patrick Arthur.

His wife of 60 years, the former Marjorie Lamb, died June 3, 2003.

Services will be held Saturday, May 1, at 10 a.m., at the First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Jane Lawrence, pastor, officiating.

Burial will follow in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Old Deerfield.

Calling hours will be Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the WALKER FUNERAL HOME, 14 High St., in Greenfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Pioneer Valley Humane Society, P.O. Box 706, Greenfield, MA 01302 or the First United Methodist Men's Club Scholarship Fund, 25 Church St., Greenfield, MA 01301.u