Stephen M. "Skip" Rucinski

Stephen M. "Skip" Rucinski

With family at his side, Stephen "Skip" Rucinski, 66, passed away on January 19, 2013.

Skip was born on November 23, 1946, in Newark, New Jersey, to Walter and Natalie (Zino) Rucinski. In 1964, he graduated from Newark's West Side High School, where he was a standout baseball player. Outside of class, Skip worked as an apprentice draftsman.

Skip enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after high school and was stationed at the Grand Forks Air Force Base for the duration of his service from 1967 to 1970, serving as a helicopter mechanic and crew chief. While still an airman, Skip met the love of his life, Deborah Anne (Nelson) of Grand Forks. They married on September 23, 1968.

A veteran maintenance professional of 43 years, Skip joined the Grand Forks International Airport in 1970 and was quietly planning to retire on March 14, 2014. As the longest serving employee of the airport, Skip's knowledge of the airfield and its facilities was legendary. Over the years, he worked with countless airport service providers, many of whom will remember him as a friend. His children and their grade school classmates have fond memories of Skip's one-of-a-kind airport tours. His grandchildren, too, have lasting memories of rides in Truck No. 9 at "Papa's Airport."

Above all, Skip loved his family. He was a devoted, caring husband and committed father and grandfather. Skip coached youth hockey, basketball and other sports, and when not on the bench rarely missed a game or practice (including 5 a.m. figure skating and countless 500-mile hockey road trips). Skip loved watching his children play, practice and compete, and for many winters maintained a backyard hockey rink where lasting family memories were made. Skip was an active "hockey dad" and a former president of the Grand Forks Blue Line Club.

He enjoyed history, music (new and old), classic cars, good tools, old James Bond movies and, in recent years, the NCIS television series. He loved baseball and was a lifetime Yankee fan.

Skip took care of people by taking care of things. He had a vivid memory and a vast understanding of the working world. He was mechanically inclined and could fix or build almost anything

Having spent many summer days of his youth on the Atlantic shoreline, Skip loved the sun and cherished family vacations that brought him back to the beach. He enjoyed Florida and often talked of retiring there. He was at home near the ocean.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Deborah (Nelson) Rucinski; daughters, Shannon (John) Torrance; Michelle (Tim) Jacobson, Jennifer (Tom) Bryan; son, Michael (Holly Forbes) Rucinski; grandchildren ("The Fabulous Eight"), William, Nolan, Ella, Campbell, Michael, Jack, Oliver and Edith; sister, Lori Ann (Rucinski) Boner; sister-in-law, Diane Martin; and brother-in-law, Dennis (Helen) Nelson.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, family requests memorial donations to Altru Health System-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

A celebration of life will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 23 (23 was Skip’s favorite number), at Amundson Funeral Home in Grand Forks.

Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. prior to the service at Amundson’s.

A guestbook may be signed at www.amundsonfuneralhome.com

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