Ross R. Ruske

I knew Ross from EPA and had worked with him most closely since the early 1990s. In my later years at EPA (retired 2011), Ross and I would eat lunch together each day at Harry’s in the now gone Harrington Hotel. I was always amazed at how he could eat their enormous cheese steak sandwich and fries and still be very hungry. We also celebrated many friendly occasions and shared many laughs at Harry’s (also my Dad’s name) including my retirement luncheon.
Ross’s EPA office was across the hall from mine and was a gathering place to discuss difficult enforcement problems. His office was also a place to have a cup of coffee, suggest a bicycle or bike repair, and chat about the day. Many a difficult personal problem was solved during these brief breaks. Ross was a singularly superior resource for fuels, inspections, EPA certification, and other mobile sources problems. Ross was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known and I worked for 43 years mostly at EPA. Ross also mentored and professionally helped many roommates and other employees.
Our office friendship broadened into organizing and holding frequent small parties with other EPA employees and their friends and family.
Ross was just so generous with his time. It seemed he could fix almost anything. When he heard I had a 30 year-old Yamaha Maxim Motorcycle that needed repairs, he rode his monster motorcycle to my home in Waynewood, VA. He fixed what he could there and then rode it with a new tire around his waste on bad breaks at his normal high speed back to your home. He later said the breaks were a “little rough.” Fearless! His repairs were perfect!
Another time not too many years ago, Ross offered to install an under-counter water filter at my Rehoboth condo. In exchange, I would pay for his dinner and all his beers. Boy that was one expensive meal! Another time while driving south on Rte 95, Ross demonstrated what the racing term “drafting” meant and how to save gas by very closely following a large tractor trailer. Exciting!
A few other observations about Rose:
– Seemed happiest riding fast on his motorcycle and but for Eileen would probably have ended up in a bikers gang
– Always with a funny, irreverent joke, or clip online to brighten our days
– So kind and so generous with his time
– Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night would kept Ross from riding his bike to work
– Lent me a bicycle and helped upgrade another for my short little legs
– Always overly generous bringing far more food & drink to our parties than requested
Ross was his typical self on my 75th Birthday Zoom Call in October 2020. A man of few words especially at times like this, until you’ve triggered one of his passions, and then stand back! He was a friend, confidant, advisor, expert, and one of the kindest and most generous persons I’ve known.
A wonderful legacy of love, helping others, having fun, and purpose.
Ross can finally rest in peace with all our love forever.

I had the pleasure of working with Ross for many years. Everyone I know loved working with him. He was a mentor to a bunch of us folks who were hired at around the same time, way back when, to implement the then-new Clean Air Act amendments. He was an awesome coworker, and he taught the new folks with patience. What we worked on was not simple stuff. He was a brilliant guy and he had real enthusiasm for his work and the positive effect it had on people’s lives.

In the early days, there was some sort of plaque with bragging rights that went around the agency, but resided in the office having the most bike commuters. Some of you may recall. We, in the original Office of Mobile Sources, had it while he worked with us. Ross did not want to lose it. He taught one of our colleagues who seemed interested, but didn’t yet know how to ride a bike, how to ride a bike – and created one more bike commuter for OMS. He would scrounge parts and old bikes, and then we would all have bike parts in a commuting emergency. He taught his colleagues how to fix all the things that might break on the way to and from work, and he did it with joy. For years, he led a convoy of Bike to Work Day commuters. He spread the joy of cycling around.

Last time I ran into Ross, it was on the W&OD trail, and he was riding that old 1960s Schwinn Tiger he had fixed up, with his pickleball gear on the back, and he stopped to talk about how much fun he had had playing that morning.

I hope that the cyclists will go out and ride our bikes and look up at that glorious sky today and realize our friend is still among us. Eternal memory to him. My condolences to Eileen and to his entire family and all who grieve him. Ross was a great guy, he touched many lives, he taught many people, and he will be missed immensely.