William Phelps Rugg

1927 - 2016

SANTA FE, N.M. - William Phelps Rugg died June 5, 2016. Born in Greenfield on Feb. 23, 1927 to Clarence and Dorothy Phelps Rugg, Bill and his wife moved to Santa Fe, NM in July 1991 following his retirement. Bill is survived by his wife, Barbara (Johnson) Rugg and children Elizabeth (Donald) Grybko of Greenfield; Virginia (Carl) Ackermann of St. Augustin, Germany; Satto Richard Rugg (Meera Reid) and Kenneth Rugg (Eliza Packard) of Santa Fe; a sister, Dorothy Fitch of Amherst, as well as six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Allen and Robert.
Following service in the US Navy during WWII, Bill graduated with a BA degree in music from Yale University. He served as organist for churches in VT and western MA, including 30 years at Second Congregational Church, Greenfield. In Santa Fe he has been 1st Presbyterian Church choir accompanist, has substituted and given recitals at several area churches as well as at his former home in Eldorado. He was a board member of the Pioneer Valley Symphony, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Santa Fe Women's Ensemble.
After college, Bill was employed by Rugg Manufacturing co., founded by his great-grandfather in 1842. The company was known as a producer of lawn and garden tools, including Bill's much-imitated invention, the Back-Saver snow shovel. He retired in 1991 as president and chairman of the board.
Bill enjoyed skiing, tennis (sometimes both in the same day!), camping and travel. When their children were young, the Ruggs camped in Maine, NH, Vermont, and across the northern US as far as the Rocky Mountains. Later travels took them to both coasts of the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and many countries in Europe, including organ study tours in Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and Scandinavia.
Memorial services will be held this month in Santa Fe and in Greenfield at a later date, with internment in the family plot at Locust Hill Cemetery, Montague.