Richard Rick Leon Ruddell

Colonel Richard L. (Rick) Ruddell (USAF, Retired), 74, of Round Rock, Texas, passed away on January 2, 2016 after a long battle with cancer. He was born February 11, 1941 in Olney, Illinois and was brought up in Robinson, Illinois.

He had served more than 27 years on active duty with the United States Air Force. After military retirement, he worked for the State of Texas for six years. He graduated in civil engineering from the University of Illinois in 1964 and was elected to Chi Epsilon, a civil engineering honorary fraternity. He earned a master's degree in management from the University of Arkansas in 1974. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1976.

He entered the USAF in 1964 and retired in 1991. He flew 311 combat hours in RF-4Cs from Tan Son Nhut AB, Republic of Vietnam in 1966-67, including 60 missions over North Vietnam. Other military assignments were in Texas twice, England twice, Idaho twice, South Carolina, Nevada, Virginia, Korea, Hawaii, and New Mexico. He logged more than 4,000 hours flying in the F-111, EF-111, RF-4C, T-38, T-33, and T-37. He was the Commander of the 389th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. His military staff tours included 314th Air Division in Korea and Headquarters Pacific Air Forces in Hawaii. He retired as the Deputy Commander for Resource Management at Bergstrom AFB, Texas.

Rick's military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished-Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and four oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and 19 other medals/ribbons.

Following his military retirement, he served the State of Texas, primarily as a section manager and assistant division director in the Office of Water Resource Management of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. He retired from the TNRCC in 1998.

He was a life member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, the Air Force Association, Alpha Chi Rho social fraternity, and the Order of Daedalians. He served as Flight Captain for the Austin Daedalians in 2003 and 2004, the first time anyone was elected to two consecutive years in its 29-year history. He was elected to a 6-year term on the Daedalian Foundation national board of trustees in 2003. He was a member of Chi Epsilon, the Austin Community Eagles Society, and The Military Officer Association of America. He was a volunteer at The Caring Place in Georgetown, Texas for 6 years and served on its Board of Directors for one year. He was a volunteer and was co-manager of the food bank at the Round Rock Area Serving Center from 2002-2006. He was a volunteer in Caregivers in Round Rock, Texas from 2007 through 2013.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Maria (Maya) of Round Rock, Texas and one son, Joshua, a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF based at Sheppard AFB, Texas, his wife, Neva, two grandsons, and a granddaughter.

A memorial service celebrating Rick's life will be held at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown on Saturday, January 16, 2016, at 2:00 pm. His ashes will be interred in Robinson, Illinois, at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to MD Anderson, Cal Farley's, or a charity of choice.

Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.