Robert J. Arruda

US Army Veteran

Robert J. Arruda, 69, of Haymarket, Va., previously of Bethel, died at home in his sleep after a long battle with prostate cancer January 13. Mr Arruda was born July 3, 1938, in Danbury, a son of A. Edward and Mary ( Santos ) Arruda.

Mr Arruda is survived by four sisters, Patricia M. Andrews and her husband, Chester, of Newtown, Linda Arruda-Mastroianni and her husband, Michael, of Bethel, Ruth A. Grenier and her husband, William, of Portsmouth, Va., and Rita A. Carollo and her husband, John, of Leesburg, Fla.; a brother, John C. Arruda and his wife, Lorraine, of Port Angeles, Wash.; and several nieces and nephews who are grateful to have had an uncle that shared so many of their life events.

He was a graduate of Bethel High School and attended Danbury State Teachers College. Mr Arruda was a sergeant in the United States Army, serving from 1961 to 1965. He was employed by AT&T/Lucent Technology for many years.

He was a member of the Old Guard US Army 3rd Infantry Drum Corps. Mr Arruda was also a member of the Germantown Drum Corps, a fifer for Danbury Drum Corps and a fife instructor for the Grassy Plain Drum Corps. He later was asked to establish a Fife and Drum Corps for Anheuser Busch Co. in Maryland.

He was an active member of the Lord of Life Ministries in Virginia.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, Friday, January 18, at 11 am. Burial will be in St Mary’s Cemetery, Bethel. Calling hours were scheduled in the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel, Thursday, January 17, from 6 until 8 pm.

The Newtown Bee        January 18, 2008