Frederick W. Ruland

Frederick William Ruland, of Wayland, passed away at the age of 78, surrounded by his family. Fred was born in Waltham, Massachusetts and graduated from Weston High School where he played varsity football. He earned bachelor degrees in Finance and Industrial Engineering from Northeastern University.

Always a Waltham kid at heart, Fred Ruland will be remembered for his incredible zest for life. Fred was involved in many things and loved the mantra, "if you aren't falling, you aren't skiing". There was no person he didn't want to talk to, no project too complex to explore, and no business deal too impossible to close.

Fred was a fabulous ballroom dancer. He loved invention, ingenuity, big thinkers, mentoring, scuba diving, sailing and flying. Fred loved to travel by boat or plane. As a boy he built a boat called "Ma's Money" and later earned his pilot's license in both a single engine plane and helicopter with advanced rating for weather and larger aircraft. His passion projects included building a castle in Lincoln, MA., fundraising for Walden Pond and participating in both political and charitable organizations. He loved cool toys and puttering in the machine shop in his old garage.

Fred's professional career spanned more than 60 years, beginning as a teenager in his father's machine shop, Ruland Manufacturing, to launching his own businesses Ruland Machinery, Ruland Industries, Inc., Air Executive, and Mektek Corporation. Fred held key positions in several corporations, development projects and charitable organizations. Fred served as a board member of Chapel-Hill Chauncy Hall School, and on the board of Trustees at the Museum of Transportation in Brookline, MA and the Charles River Museum of Industry in Waltham, MA. Fred spent an astounding 35 years as a Trustee of First Parish Church in Waltham. Most recently, he was Chief Operating Officer at AMTI in Watertown, MA.

Fred's love of invention and engineering never waned. Fred secured several patents for his creations including a compact mechanism for creating simultaneous rotary and linear motion, a system and method for three-dimensional calibration of force plates and his first patent Unitap, a tapping attachment for machines.

Fred felt very fortunate to have a wonderful family early in life and then a second family, including two loving children who brought him incredible joy in his later years. Predeceased by his parents Frederick and Edna Ruland of Weston, MA, Fred is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Sandra French Ruland and their children, Catherine Elizabeth Ruland and William Frederick Ruland. Fred is also survived by his children Elizabeth Ruland of Merrimack, NH, Jennifer Ruland Morlock, her husband Steven Morlock of Brattleboro, VT and Elizabeth and Jennifer's mother Meredith Abbott Ruland of Peterborough, NH; grandchildren Guy Gormley of Fitchburg MA, Frederick Morlock of San Francisco CA, Clara, Wolfgang, and Otto Morlock all of Brattleboro, Vermont. He is also survived by his siblings, Ellen Ruland, Robert Ruland, and Jean Matteson as well as by many nieces, nephews and other members of his extended and blended family.

Fred has long been admired for courageously facing the challenge of multiple illnesses and never letting them define him. He was extremely grateful for the skillful and compassionate care he received from his wife Sandra, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Weston Primary Care who significantly extended his life allowing him to live an exceptionally wonderful second act. Most recently, Care Dimensions Hospice gave him quality time in his favorite place, home. He loved visiting, sitting with family and friends, sitting by the window on Zoom business meetings, watching the birds, enjoying food and spending time with his children.

Family and friends will honor and remember Fred's life by gathering for visiting hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Tuesday, January 4th from 4 to 7 p.m. and again on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. when his funeral service will be held. Burial will follow in Lincoln Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wayland High School Scholarship Committee P.O. Box 36 Wayland, MA 01778, ATTN: Frederick William Ruland Memorial Award.

Those wishing to view Fred's funeral service may do so by clicking on the following link on Wednesday, January 5th at 10 a.m.: https://my.gather.app/remember/frederick-ruland