William Henry Ruddell

1951 - 2015

William Henry Ruddell

William H. Ruddell (Bill) passed away of a heart attack on April 12, 2015 in Seattle, WA. Bill was born in Port Angeles, WA to Howard B. and Frances Ruddell on September 27, 1951. Bill grew up in Port Angeles at the family home, surrounded by four brothers and two sisters. In his youth Bill was a mentor to youth groups through the Port Angeles Parks Dept. and the YMCA, as well as an umpire for City League Baseball. Bill became the family historian, keeping track of all activities of family near and far, and was devoted to his 15 nephews and nieces who loved Uncle Bill dearly for his time and attention.

Bill graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1969, earned an Associate of Arts degree from Peninsula College, a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Criminal Justice from St. Martins College and later his Masters Degree in Social Psychology. Bill spoke fluent Spanish and pursued his interest in international relations, eventually relocating to Mexico City to consult for law enforcement as Chief Aid and Adviser to the Chief of Police in Mexico City. During his time in Mexico, Bill's caring and generous spirit were evident through his many contributions to the under served in the communities he worked within.

After returning from Mexico, Bill continued his law enforcement career with various agencies in his home state, ultimately becoming Chief of Police in Yelm, Wa. After some early heart issues that precluded Bill from continuing as an active officer, Bill was appointed Municipal Court Judge in Yelm--the first time an individual had held a role as judge in Washington state without possessing a law degree. Bill later moved to Seattle and started yet another career as a private investigator and security consultant. His high technology security and surveillance knowledge and equipment installations were state of the art and he was regularly sought out by corporations and law enforcement agencies. During this time he served as the exclusive distributor for various security and self-defense equipment manufacturers, including Taser International. Despite his heart condition he had immense energy and found time to open and manage the retail Spy-PI store in downtown Seattle as well as serve as founder and editor of the National Association of Private Investigators monthly newsletter.

Bill leaves behind two brothers (Michael of Seattle and John of Los Angeles) and two sisters (Christine and Connie of Spokane). In addition to son, brother, and uncle, Bill was a caring relative to many, and a friend and colleague to many in the law enforcement community and in various walks of life. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Howard B. and Frances E. Ruddell, and brothers Howard M. (Mac) Ruddell and Robert (Bob) Ruddell.

The family is planning a celebration of Bill's life to be held in Seattle this summer. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Virginia Mason Foundation, P.O. Box 1930 D1-MF Seattle, WA 98111.