Kenneth Ruddock

RUDDOCK, Kenneth Andrew April 4, 1925 November 9, 2019 Kenneth Andrew Ruddock passed away after a short illness in San Bruno, CA. Born in Bridgetown and raised in Annapolis Royal, Ken left Nova Scotia when young but loyally returned later in life. He served in the Canadian Army in Europe in WW II and was educated in electrical engineering at University of Toronto (BS) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS). Moving to California in 1957, with his wife Kay and three children, Ken was a pioneer in the young Silicon Valley. In 1961 he co-founded Spectra-Physics, Inc., which grew to be the world’s largest maker of gas lasers. About 1980, Ken and Kay found a beautiful house on the lake in South Milford, near where Ken spent many outdoor seasons as a boy. He returned for summers on the lake every year until age 90. And he made many deep friendships with the people of South Milford and the staff and guests at the Milford House. Ken cherished a lifelong love of fly-fishing, canoeing and golfing in Nova Scotia. He is preceded in death by Kay, his wife of 43 years; his second wife, Barbara; and his brothers, Francis and Bob. He is survived by his three children, Steve, Jeff and Cindy; and grandchildren, John and Will. The family will hold private services in California and South Milford.