Daniel Blaisdell Ruggles III, a resident of Brooksby Village and former resident of Montpelier VT, died on July 21, 2022.  The son of Daniel Blaisdell Ruggles Jr. and Dorothy Johnson Ruggles, he was born on November 28, 1924 and spent his early years in Salem, MA, later moving to Marblehead, MA.  He graduated from Vermont Academy, and then attended Dartmouth College, the University of Denver, and Babson College.   He served in World War II as a Japanese interpreter.

Daniel was predeceased by three wives, all of Marblehead, and all of whom he cared for lovingly.  Janet White Merrill Ruggles died in 1947.  Elaine Parsons Ruggles died in 1996.  Patricia Cole Durkee died in 2008.

After moving to Montpelier VT in 1958, Mr. Ruggles owned and operated radio station WSKI for 31 years.  He was also associated with station WMRC in Milford MA.  He served on the Board of the Montpelier Chamber of Commerce, was a past president of the Barre VT Lions Club, served as the fund chair of the Montpelier Heart Drive, chairman of the Montpelier Red Cross, and fund chair of the Washington County United Way.

From 1962 to 1968, he served as a Vermont state senator representing Washington County. He ran for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont in 1968.  From 1970 to 1976, he was a commissioner on the Vermont Public Service Board.

Dan and his wife Elaine summered in Wolfboro, NH.  Dan moved to Massachusetts after the death of Elaine, where he married Patricia Durkee in 1998, living first in Marblehead and then moving together to Brooksby Village in 2007.  He was an accomplished bridge player and a loving caregiver to Pat until her death in 2008.

Dan is survived by his brother, Thomas M. Ruggles of Concord, MA, his three nieces, Rebecca L. Ruggles of Aurora, NY, Mary Ann (Molly) D. Ruggles of Somerville, MA, and D. Fairchild (Dede) Ruggles of Urbana, IL, and Pat Durkee's daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Clayton Heywood of Peabody MA who cared lovingly for him in the final years of his life.  In addition he is survived by Pat's daughter Joan Durkee and her husband John McGee of Newton, MA and Pat's daughter Sarah Durkee and her husband Paul Jacobs of New York City, as well as by his second wife Elaine's sister, Estelle Parsons of New York City and nieces, Martha Gehman of New York City and Abbie Britton of California.

A private service for family and friends is being held at Harmony Grove Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be sent to Life Bridge North Shore (formerly Crombie Street Shelter) in memory of Dan and Tom's brother, Putnam.