Alonzo James Rue Jr.

Alonzo Rue, Jr. born in 1933 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, was the youngest of four children and the only boy in his family. After graduating in 1956 from North Carolina A & T State University with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, he joined the United States Air Force.

Al was a pilot in the Air Force with the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo) flying tactical airlift missions until he resigned his commission. After that, Al and a few other single guys, all friends from their A&T days, piled into a barely-makin’ it 1950 Cadillac and drove to Denver, where Al had a job waiting for him with the Federal Government at the Bureau of Reclamation. Back in those days, long before integration was the law of the land, Al and his companions were hired as “pioneers” by the US government. Several years passed as Al established himself as a civil and structural engineer and then he began to woo the lovely and lively Claudette. In 1964 he and Claudette married and, with her two girls, became an instant family. Jeff came along two years later as an early Christmas present to complete the family. In 1994, after 36 years working for the Federal government, Al was considered an expert in designing, writing specifications and administering architectural/engineering contracts for civil works in Western substations. His boss, remarked, “The exceptional quality of Al’s expertise, supervisory and leadership talents has earned him a reputation as someone to call upon for advice both inside and outside Western (Western Area Power Administration).

The important work Al performed as an engineer was accomplished alongside his non-professional passions: bowling, leading Boy Scout Troop #776 as Scout Master, helping senior citizens with tax returns, sponsoring engineering students from Southern colleges for summer internships at the Bureau, mentoring at-risk young men, and living out his faith in the various ministries of Messiah Lutheran Church, now known as Messiah Community Church, including heading an usher team for many, many years and seeking numerous ways to address the needs of elder members, notably by driving a van on Sunday mornings to pick up seniors for church and then take them home.

In the late eighties, Al, along with Claude, took the lead in reviving the North City Park Neighborhood Association growing it to over 400 volunteer-members. This was an intense and time-consuming labor of love (just what a retired detail-oriented engineer needed!) that sought to empower neighborhood members to organize around quality of life issues such as of safety, education, senior citizen empowerment and neighborhood beatification. He served as a board member in partnership with the Denver Police Department on the District Two Community Advisory Board, again working on behalf of his community to make North City Park a better place to live. He and his wife were given multiple awards for their participation in the neighborhood literacy programs at schools in the North City Park area – the two of them, always a team, giving back to the community.

Al enjoyed hot dogs and popcorn at the drive-in, bar-b-ques and volleyball in the backyard, teaching his girls to dance with a partner, taking road trips with his son, teaching his kids to fix things, making his grandkids laugh, “ hangin’ in the streets” with Claude to catch jazz sets by their favorite musicians around town and dazzling folks when the two of them took to the dance floor.

Al died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, March 10, 2012 after a two-year battle following a stroke. He leaves many to celebrate his life: his wife, Claudette; daughters, Kim and Audrey; son, Jeff; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; eight nieces and nephews; and a multitude of friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters and their spouses, Rachelle Rue Richardson (Amos), Ethel Mae Rue White (James), and Martha Cardell Rue Gardner (Nathaniel).

Donations in memory of Alonzo J. Rue, Jr. may be given to:

North City Park Civic Association

P. O. Box 7562

Denver, CO 80207-0562

303.333.6103

or

Rocky Mountain Stroke Center

5666 So. Bannock Street

Littleton CO 80120

Phone 303.730.8800

Fax 303.730.7011

Colorado Toll Free 877.630.7444