Pablo Allende "Ponch" Ruiz III

Pablo “Ponch” Allende Ruiz III, of Bunnlevel, North Carolina, passed away on Sunday, May 24, 2015 in Bagram, Afghanistan. He was born in Key West, Florida to Pablo A. and Nancy Ruiz, Jr. and was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was a mentor for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and a Lifetime Member of the 82nd Airborne Association.

He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Desiree Ruiz; daughter, Deanna Ruiz; son-in-law, Brian Baker; mother, Nancy Ruiz; brother, Christopher Ruiz; sister, Adrianna Ruiz; father- and mother-in-law, Bruce and Teresa Jones; three Aunts, Norma Sonzogni, Betty Sanchez, and Iris Ojeda; sister-in-law, Tiffany Jones; nieces, Destinee Jones, Ariel Ruiz, and Marie Villalpando; as well as family and friends too numerous to list.

A visitation was held on Thursday, June 4, 2015 from 6-8pm at Fountainhead Funeral Home, with a funeral service on Friday, June 5, 2015 at 2:00pm at the Florida Institute of Technology Auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) at www.taps.org or 1-800-959-TAPS, or to a trust for his daughter Deanna through a branch of the USAA Bank.

Fountainhead Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.