William Ruzicka

On May 15, 2019, William Frank Ruzicka, age 95, passed away at his residence with family at his bedside. Bill was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Viva and William Ruzicka. He graduated from Benson High School in Omaha in 1941 and was a member of the National Honor Society. He attended the University of Michigan, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and the Interfraternity Council. He received his BSE in Aeronautical Engineering in 1944. Immediately upon graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy, and was stationed at Banana River Naval Air Station, Florida, where he worked on the design of fighter planes. On August 18, 1945, he married his college sweetheart, Irene Anderko, in a military wedding at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockledge, Florida. After the war he was discharged from active duty, but continued to serve his country in the Naval Reserves until his honorable discharge as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in 1956. He attended graduate school at the University of Michigan, earning his MBA in 1951.

During high school he enjoyed building and flying model aircraft, and won a Midwestern Model Aircraft Championship. As part of his professional life, he greatly enjoyed his travels to England, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Japan, and maintained lifelong friendships with his business contacts around the world. In retirement he took up woodworking, and enjoyed building things with one of his grandsons who lived with him. He was a lifelong learner, reading extensively on many topics, including politics, health and finance. He loved nothing better than giving friends and family and even his doctors regular reading assignments on various topics of interest, always expecting a report back of their findings.

In his professional life, he initially pursued a career in aeronautical engineering, but later found his niche as a businessman specializing in corporate purchasing for various companies such as Argus Camera Company, Sylvania Corning Nuclear Corporation, General Electric Corporation (Jet Engine Division), Kelsey Hayes, Hoover Universal, and Johnson Controls, until his retirement in 2004. He was active in his community and was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church, where he ushered for many years. He also was a member and vice president of the local Exchange Club, and later a regular member of the local VP Club.

Bill resided in Ann Arbor with his family since 1963, and at Glacier Hills Retirement Community since 2013, where he was actively involved in the community and enjoyed befriending many new residents, who will greatly miss him. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Irene, his parents, brother Frederick Ruzicka and sister Wilavi Ruzicka Schairer, and niece Diane Ruzicka. He is survived by his two daughters, Deborah Ruzicka (James Barney) and Pamela Dehne, four grandchildren, Thomas Bisbee, Camille Dehne, Isabelle Dehne, and Kristian Dehne, and many nieces and nephews.

May he rest in peace. Visitation will be at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 31, and a graveside service will be at Forest Hill Cemetery, 415 Observatory St., Ann Arbor, at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1.