John W. "Jack" Rue (1920-2011)
John Wesley Rue II of Reston, VA died peacefully at home on September 20, 2011. He was 91. Born July 27, 1920 in Brooklyn, NY, Jack was the son of the late Gilbert and Dorothy Rue, formerly of Denton, MD. He was a graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts and the Ottmar Mergenthaler School of Printing in Baltimore.
Jack joined the Maryland National Guard (29th Division) before Pearl Harbor and was commissioned at Officer Candidate School, Ft. Benning, GA. He became Motor Transportation Officer of the 394th Regiment, 99th Infantry Division and was promoted to Captain during the Battle of the Bulge. He crossed the Rhine on the Remagan Bridge the morning after it was captured, and then took part in the battle for the Ruhr Pocket. He later crossed the Danube River on a pontoon bridge with Patton’s 3rd Army just before the end of the war. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and 2 Bronze Stars. His Unit received 3 Battle Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation and 2 Belgium Feurre au Guerres. Read the Star Democrat interview of his experiences.
He was Chief Executive of the Mid-Atlantic Food Processors Association; Director of the Plentiful Foods Program of the USDA; Chief Administrative Assistant for the 1st Congressional District, Maryland; and Field Director of the Central Region of the Veterans Administration from which he retired in 1983 with its Distinguished Career Award.
Jack was a life member of 4 Veterans organizations; served on the governing bodies of the Talbot County (MD) Historical Society and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Trappe and was a member of the Tred Avon Yacht Club, Oxford, MD.
Predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Helen W. Rue, he is survived by his three children – John W. Rue III (Wendy) of Frostburg, MD; Gerald G. Rue of Easton, MD; and Constance R. Hartke (Paul) of Reston. He is also survived by two granddaughters, Lisa M. Rue of Oxford, MD and Margaret Perry Dover of Reston, and three great-grandchildren – Kahlil, Devonne and Kaiya Dover; 2 nieces, Angela Pinnell Crittenden of TX and Nancy Cropper of DE and 1 nephew, Alan Cropper of DE. His beloved pug dog, Snuggles, will continue to take boat rides on Lake Audubon with Connie and Paul.*
Jack requested donations be made to the Alzheimer's Family Day Center, 2812 Old Lee Highway, Suite 210, Fairfax, Virginia 22031. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, September 29 at at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3936 Main St., Trappe, MD and at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 1st at Floris United Methodist Church, 13600 Frying Pan Rd, Herndon, VA.
*update: On September 28, Snuggles joined Jack and Helen. She had an illness which coincided with her "Dad's" decline.