Dennis James Rudd

Dennis J Rudd, 63, of Nokomis FL passed away October 30, 2014. Dennis was born December 17, 1950 in Long Branch, NJ to Grace Ploger Rudd and James Rudd. Dennis was raised in Atlantic Highlands, NJ with his grandparents, parents, sisters, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins all together on the same street. HIs first uniform was that of a boy scout and his last uniform he wore with pride was with the Keansburg Police Department. He also served in the United States Army in the Military Police from 1974 to 1977. In 1982 he received his Associates Degree in Science, Criminal Justice from Brookdale Community College. He began his career with the Keansburg Police Department in 1980 as a patrolman. During his tenure at the KPD, he developed the police scuba division and trained officers for water rescue missions. He also designed a scuba diving program for at-risk students to keep them in school. HIs accomplishments were numerous from fire arms instructor to underwater investigator to photographer. He was trained in bomb scare techniques, fingerprint classifications and advanced criminology to name a few. He retired from the KPD in 2001 as a Detective Captain. Scuba diving was Dennis’ passion in life. He was a PADI Master Instructor and taught classes and organized dive trips for Dosil’s in Middletown, NJ. His dive trips became legendary and were some of the best times in his life. His passion for diving was contagious because of the spirit and enthusiasm that he brought to it; but he brought that spirit to whatever he did – drinking beer at 60 feet underwater or hanging out at home. Whether Dennis was organizing under water bowling for charity or taking photographs of sea life, he approached it with a joyfulness that was infectious. Dennis was also an avid bowler and loved working outside in the yard. He was content to be with those he loved and enjoyed a frosty cold Coors Light on occasion. And fittingly, Dennis ended his working career at the Venice Dive Center in Venice, FL. He was preceded in death by his father, James Rudd, his mother Grace Ploger Rudd, and his brother Steven Maxson. He is survived by his wife, Diana M Cantillo, his sisters Vicki Struble, Highlands NJ and Carol Soles, West Virgina, his mother-in-law Mary Cantillo, brother and sister in-laws Tom and Mary Cantillo and Mary Ann and Dave Kachelriess, Sarasota FL and family member Jamie Lyn Rossbach Keansburg, NJ. He leaves behind loving nieces and nephews — Tommy, Carol, Andrew, Chris, and Jesse — and 7 grandnieces and grandnephews who brought much joy to him and whom he loved very much. Services were held at Farley Funeral Home, Venice Chapel. Inurnment will be at Sarasota National Cemetery on November 14 at 1:00 pm. Memorial Donations may be made to Standup2cancer.org.