~ IN MEMORY ~
USAF, PAA/DL Capt. Kenneth Barclay Ruhm
July 28, 1934 ~ May 12, 2025
Ken Ruhm, of Holderness
and Heritage Heights in Concord NH, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May
12th, after an extraordinary 90 years of life. He is survived by his beloved
wife of 61 years, Nancy. Ken joined Pan
Am 06-19-1967 and retired with Delta Air Lines based in New York.
PCN memorial site
https://obits.csnh.com/kenneth-ruhm
Kenneth Barclay Ruhm
Ken Ruhm, of Holderness and Heritage Heights in
Concord, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 12th, after
an extraordinary 90 years of life. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61
years, Nancy.
Born in Utica, New York, in 1934, Ken was the
elder of two sons of Kenneth and Ruth Ruhm. He grew up in Herkimer, New York,
and graduated from the University of Rochester in 1955, where he was
commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.
After completing Undergraduate Pilot Training in
1958, Ken served multiple tours as an instructor pilot at Webb AFB in Big
Spring, Texas, and Williams AFB in Chandler, Arizona, training students in the
T-6, T-33, and T-38 aircraft. It was during his assignment to Williams AFB in
1963 that he met Nancy and her two young sons, Michael and Robert, who would
become his own. Ken and Nancy were married in Herkimer, NY, in December 1963
and welcomed their third son, Brian, in April 1965.
Shortly afterward, Ken deployed to Vietnam, where
he flew nearly 300 combat missions in the Douglas A-1E Skyraider and served
alongside Medal of Honor recipient Major Bernie Fisher. For his courage and
distinguished service, Ken was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Following his return from Vietnam, Ken left active
duty and began a civilian aviation career with Pan American Airways, relocating
to San Francisco. There, he and Nancy welcomed their fourth son, Steven, in
December 1968. In 1972, Ken transferred to Boston and settled in Holderness,
New Hampshire, where he would spend nearly all of his remaining years.
When furloughed by Pan Am in 1976, Ken chose to
stay in New Hampshire to raise his family, even though it meant stepping away
from commercial flying. During this time, he pursued an MBA and worked for the
Holderness School and several regional airlines, including Winnipesaukee and
Precision Airlines. He was recalled by Pan Am in 1985 and later joined Delta
Air Lines, retiring in 1996.
Ken remained active in retirement, ski racing,
cycling, traveling, volunteering, and spending as much time as possible with
his children and grandchildren. He and Nancy were active in the Waterville
Valley “Silver Streaks” ski program, and Ken continued racing into his
seventies. Together, they skied in Courchevel, France; biked through Germany,
Italy, and Vietnam; and cruised to Greece, Alaska and England. Ken volunteered
with the Squam Lakes Association as a water quality sampler and was a vital
part of the team that harvested and split firewood to heat the Squam Lakes
Natural Science Center. One of Ken’s greatest joys was his role as “Pop Pop” to
his grandchildren. For more than a decade, he and Nancy hosted “Camp Gamma and
Pop Pop,” creating cherished memories for their family.
Ken is survived by his wife Nancy, his four
devoted sons — Michael, Robert, Brian, and Steven — seven grandchildren and six
great grandchildren.
No comments:
Post a Comment