- Date Of Birth: December 1, 1954
- Date Of Death: January 31, 2014
- State: Maryland
Donald Ridgely Cruse, age 59, passed away unexpectedly on January 31, 2014. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Virginia Cruse of Baltimore, Maryland. Don, the youngest of five, spent his childhood boating and traveling with his family. He moved to North East at the age of eleven, where he developed a love of nature and the natural world. He spent his youth exploring the woods of Elk Neck and the Chesapeake Bay. Don graduated from West Nottingham Academy and attended Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia, and Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. In 1974, he married Brenda Corbett and together they had three children. Don loved music, science, animals and carpentry. His greatest love was spending time on the water and restoring classic wooden yachts with his lifelong friend John Tippo. On a calm summer evening his infectious laughter could be heard echoing across the water.
He will be dearly missed by his three children and their spouses who are Linda and Keith Pelachick of North East, Maryland, Melissa and Peter McCallum of Spicewood, Texas, and Donald Jr. and Cristina Cruse of Pasadena, Maryland. He is also survived by his wife Dawn Sullivan Cruse of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, four older siblings and their spouses. His brother, Charles Cruse and his wife Karen of Monkton, Maryland, his sister Linda Hughes and her husband Roger of North East, Maryland, his sister Susan Von Hagen and her husband John of Vero Beach, Florida, and his brother Bryant Cruse of Baltimore, Maryland. His grandchildren are Julian age 9, Alexander age 7, Olivia age 5, Benjamin age 3, and Charles age 5 months. He is Uncle Don to six nieces, five nephews and thirteen great nieces and nephews.
