Brother Dominic Ruegg

Brother Dominic Ruegg, FSC (John Anthony Ruegg), a De La Salle Christian Brother for 83 years, passed away peacefully on February 15, 2019 at the Holy Family Community at Mont La Salle in Napa, California. He was 100 years old. Born in San Francisco during World War I, he attended Sacred Heart High School, where he met the Brothers. After graduating from St. Mary's College in Moraga, he taught high school in Berkley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Fresno, before pursuing a doctorate in Latin and Greek from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Brother Dominic returned to the West Coast to take up teaching duties at Saint Mary's College, from 1949 to1984. He taught classics and Scripture and served as the Academic Vice-President until his retirement. His scholarly field work took him to the Garigliano River in Italy as an underwater archaeologist, a work for which he was awarded honorary citizenship in the city of Minturno. Upon his retirement he traveled the world, sometimes by cargo ship and sometimes by land in search of ancient manuscripts. His last few years were spent in the Brother's community for the elderly and infirm, where he wrote memoirs, read voraciously, and enjoyed the company of his Brothers. His life was well spent. A Funeral Mass for Brother Dominic Ruegg will be said this Friday, February 22, at Mont La Salle in Napa, with reception of the body and viewing at 10:00 and Mass at 11:00 followed by burial. A Memorial service will be held at St. Mary's College in Moraga on Tuesday, March 5, 7:00 to 8:30.