Lee Martin
Hunter
William Batterman Ruger, Jr.
4 June 1939 to 15 September 2018
Family and friends of Bill Ruger, Jr., gathered Saturday 22 Sep 2018 for a memorial service to celebrate the man and his unique spirit. Around two hundred gathered on a sun-bathed field in Blue Mountain Forest, in Croydon, New Hampshire. The setting of William B. Ruger's service in 2002.
Donna Leslie pastored, with piano and hymn accompaniment. Scripture followed the opening prayer, with readings by Thompson Ruger Whiteley, Adrienne Ruger Conzelman, and Kurt Vogel. Words of remembrance were delivered by childhood and lifelong friend Stephen Paneyko; friend Neil Lavesque ("If you don't want to Google it, call Bill Ruger, Jr., and Ruger it."); with closing oration by friend and automotive raconteur Jean Jennings.
Start to finish the gathering soared on the moment, clear as a fine shot. We sang. Fortunately, my croaking attempt at hymn drowned in the operatic octaves the a woman behind me. Fine and coarse tongue together held Billy's spirit aloft.
A photo essay,
David Bradshaw
______________________________________________
Solemnity. Molly Ruger Vogel with rose, stands beside her late brother, and the fire truck he bought before he had a driver's license.
Andy Swift, firefighter turned master of firetruck restoration, with Molly Ruger Vogel.
Molly Ruger Vogel, bracketed by Bill, Jr.'s Newport property caretaker Arnold Moulton (left), and firetruck master Andy Swift.
L-toR: Mike Halleck, Arnold Moulton, David Bradshaw. Halleck is caretaker of Ruger house in Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, Maine. Moulton manages house in Newport
Molly Ruger Vogel and Jean Jennings. Jean Jennings a top automotive journalist, irreverent to be sure, with screen credits to smother a phone book.
Reginald D. Dodge, supervisor of Ruger woodworking shop in Newport, and Mary Dodge, each with 35+ years service for Sturm, Ruger. Mary Dodge started at Winchester in New Haven, moved to Newport, checkering
Jerry Moran, a friend of Bill, Jr.'s going back to early IHMSA days. A steel shooting champion a master machinist and Colt Python mechanic, wrote his competitive career on the Python, mostly with the Sierra .357 170 FMJ. On year as Bill, Jr., Bradshaw, and Moran toured Yellowstone National Park, Jerry had to be restrained from leaping in to help contain a forest fire.
A friend of the Rugers for many years, Eric Unger managed the casting foundry, and introduced innovative work with titanium. An avid hiker, Eric Unger created the Super Redhawk Alaskan. Unger cast frames for a titanium model, which Bill Ruger, Jr., and Unger agreed was too much of a good thing.
Eric Unger and Patti Dustin jawbone following the Memorial Service for WBR II. Patti Dustin worked in checkering, and then double action assembly, at the Newport factory. Patti continued until recently as secretary
Deb & Ben Kilham from up the road in Lyme, New Hampshire. Kilham is America's foremost authority on black bears, turning conventional biology on its head with the most successful work in re-introducing orphaned and injured black bears to the wild. Ben's pioneering methods attracted Chinese interest. Over the past few years, Ben's technique extends to China, and re-introduction of the Giant Panda. Kilham crossed paths with Bill Ruger, Sr., decades ago, also hunting in Blue Mountain Forest, and meeting Bill, Jr., later on.
Three experienced Colt hands: Ben & Deb Kilham worked and met at Colt's in Hartford. Jerry Moran ran a Fisher body plant in Michigan, specialized in shooting IHMSA Silhouette with the Colt Python——and keeping Colt's flagship double action running (a task shared by Kilham). Deb Kilham shares nurturing orphaned bears. Another leg in the Kilham story: Ben's sister Phoebe (not present), devotes life to serving and learning from black bears
4 June 1939 to 15 September 2018
Family and friends of Bill Ruger, Jr., gathered Saturday 22 Sep 2018 for a memorial service to celebrate the man and his unique spirit. Around two hundred gathered on a sun-bathed field in Blue Mountain Forest, in Croydon, New Hampshire. The setting of William B. Ruger's service in 2002.
Donna Leslie pastored, with piano and hymn accompaniment. Scripture followed the opening prayer, with readings by Thompson Ruger Whiteley, Adrienne Ruger Conzelman, and Kurt Vogel. Words of remembrance were delivered by childhood and lifelong friend Stephen Paneyko; friend Neil Lavesque ("If you don't want to Google it, call Bill Ruger, Jr., and Ruger it."); with closing oration by friend and automotive raconteur Jean Jennings.
Start to finish the gathering soared on the moment, clear as a fine shot. We sang. Fortunately, my croaking attempt at hymn drowned in the operatic octaves the a woman behind me. Fine and coarse tongue together held Billy's spirit aloft.
A photo essay,
David Bradshaw
______________________________________________
Solemnity. Molly Ruger Vogel with rose, stands beside her late brother, and the fire truck he bought before he had a driver's license.
Andy Swift, firefighter turned master of firetruck restoration, with Molly Ruger Vogel.
Molly Ruger Vogel, bracketed by Bill, Jr.'s Newport property caretaker Arnold Moulton (left), and firetruck master Andy Swift.
L-toR: Mike Halleck, Arnold Moulton, David Bradshaw. Halleck is caretaker of Ruger house in Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, Maine. Moulton manages house in Newport
Molly Ruger Vogel and Jean Jennings. Jean Jennings a top automotive journalist, irreverent to be sure, with screen credits to smother a phone book.
Reginald D. Dodge, supervisor of Ruger woodworking shop in Newport, and Mary Dodge, each with 35+ years service for Sturm, Ruger. Mary Dodge started at Winchester in New Haven, moved to Newport, checkering
Jerry Moran, a friend of Bill, Jr.'s going back to early IHMSA days. A steel shooting champion a master machinist and Colt Python mechanic, wrote his competitive career on the Python, mostly with the Sierra .357 170 FMJ. On year as Bill, Jr., Bradshaw, and Moran toured Yellowstone National Park, Jerry had to be restrained from leaping in to help contain a forest fire.
A friend of the Rugers for many years, Eric Unger managed the casting foundry, and introduced innovative work with titanium. An avid hiker, Eric Unger created the Super Redhawk Alaskan. Unger cast frames for a titanium model, which Bill Ruger, Jr., and Unger agreed was too much of a good thing.
Eric Unger and Patti Dustin jawbone following the Memorial Service for WBR II. Patti Dustin worked in checkering, and then double action assembly, at the Newport factory. Patti continued until recently as secretary
Deb & Ben Kilham from up the road in Lyme, New Hampshire. Kilham is America's foremost authority on black bears, turning conventional biology on its head with the most successful work in re-introducing orphaned and injured black bears to the wild. Ben's pioneering methods attracted Chinese interest. Over the past few years, Ben's technique extends to China, and re-introduction of the Giant Panda. Kilham crossed paths with Bill Ruger, Sr., decades ago, also hunting in Blue Mountain Forest, and meeting Bill, Jr., later on.
Three experienced Colt hands: Ben & Deb Kilham worked and met at Colt's in Hartford. Jerry Moran ran a Fisher body plant in Michigan, specialized in shooting IHMSA Silhouette with the Colt Python——and keeping Colt's flagship double action running (a task shared by Kilham). Deb Kilham shares nurturing orphaned bears. Another leg in the Kilham story: Ben's sister Phoebe (not present), devotes life to serving and learning from black bears
