PATRICK H. RUGGLES

Patrick H. Ruggles, who co-founded Ruggles Ice Cream and developed it into one of the most popular brands in Ohio, died unexpectedly Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic after a brief illness. He was 60 years old. Born in Ames, Iowa, Pat grew up in the Cleveland area, graduating in 1967 from Nordonia High School, where he played varsity football.

Pat attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, earning his BS in Marketing in 1971. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. The dashing and debonair Miami senior homecoming king was known all across campus for wearing his signature black and white saddle shoes. At college he met Jan Armogida, daughter of Mary and Dr. Harry Armogida, a Miami professor. Pat first saw Jan while sitting behind her in class. Finally working up the nerve to speak to her, he passed her a note in class that read, “Out of five hundred people, I’m in love with the back of your head.” Pat and Jan were married in Oxford on June 12, 1971, the day of Pat’s college graduation.

Pat and Jan relocated to St. Louis, Missouri where Pat took a job as a Sales Representative with Owens-Corning Fiberglass while Jan finished her teaching degree at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Their first son Andy was born in St. Louis on August 20, 1979. Pat moved his family back to Cleveland in 1980 in order to start Ruggles Ice Cream Company with his father Herb. Pat and Herb’s respective backgrounds in business and dairy technology made for a winning combination and provided a unique opportunity for father and son to work together as adults. Within the first five years of operations, Ruggles became the number one premium ice cream brand in all markets served. The company also excelled in new product innovation by being the first to market with two new product categories: light ice cream and packaged frozen yogurt. Pat and Jan had their second son Matt on March 10, 1982 and relocated to the Cleveland suburb of Solon, Ohio, where they would live for the next 25 years. Jan Ruggles was a highly respected first grade teacher in the Solon School District for 20 years. She retired last spring.

Ruggles Ice Cream was acquired by Smith Dairy Products in 1988, and became the company’s premium ice cream line. While Herb stayed on with Smith Dairy until his death in 1993, Pat felt at the time that he had achieved his goals for Ruggles, and eventually accepted a position as President/Chief Operating Officer of Adjusta-Post Lighting Company in Norton, Ohio, a position he held from1993 to 2008. Pat battled Leukemia in 1997, spending five weeks in the Cleveland Clinic undergoing intensive chemotherapy. When he was finally allowed to leave the clinic, the nurses on his floor were sad to see him go, saying often that he was their favorite patient and the reason they looked forward to coming into work every day. Pat’s Leukemia went into remission, and he was cancer free for the rest of life.

Pat always felt that he was given a second chance at living, and worked toward cutting out all negativity and cynicism from his daily life. He had a true belief that life was about giving more than you receive, and tried daily to live up to that belief. From the outside world, it seemed as though he lived up to this ideal effortlessly. Pat would greet anyone who walked into a room with a smile, and his obvious love for people endeared him to many. Pat was happiest when surrounded by family, good music, and found contentment and peace in his collection of books and poetry. Pat was a prolific writer and poet, who chose to share the work he was most proud of with only his friends and family.

As a life-long Clevelander, Pat was a die-hard Indians and Browns fan. Always the optimist, he truly believed that the Browns would get their act together in his lifetime. In a surprising twist of fate, Pat rejoined his family at Smith Dairy in November 2008 as Vice President of Ice Cream. Pat was thrilled to return to the company he loved so much, and said at the time, "It's an honor to be working again at Smith Dairy with such fine people who are so completely committed to outstanding quality and customer satisfaction." He took great pride in creating the highest quality ice cream and truly felt that he was providing people with something special that could bring a little joy in their lives. He had a passion for all that he did, and with ice cream it was no different. Even in the hospital two days before he died he would talk at length about ice cream ingredients and would brainstorm new flavors with the nurses and his family at his bedside.

Pat is survived by his wife and soul mate Jan, his sons Andy and Matt, his mother Anne, siblings Sue, Peggy and Tim, as well as an extended network of loving family and friends. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 2:00pm at the Medina Presbyterian Church, 5020 Burgundy Bay Blvd., Medina, Ohio 44256. The family will be greeting friends at the church between Noon and 2:00pm.

Family entrusted arrangements to Carlson Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 3477 Medina Road, Medina.