Robert D. “David” Rudden, Jr.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of retiree Robert D. “David” Rudden, Jr., on January 12, 2026, at Cape Cod Hospital. He was 85.

David was born in Brockton, MA, on September 28, 1940, and moved to Hyannis in 1946.  He was the son of Robert and Gena Rudden. David attended grades 1 through 12 in the Barnstable school system. He was diagnosed with Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes at age 11 after being transported to the Deaconess Hospital in Boston and given his last rites by a catholic priest, where he remained in a coma for nine days before gradually beginning the road to recovery. After moving on to Junior High School, few of his friends and none of his teachers knew that he was diabetic, resulting in occasions where he would receive detention for eating in class when his glucose was low, but he never seemed to mind.

Following high school, David attended Bentley University, where he earned a degree in accounting and finance. He was a member of the Beta Tau Alpha honor fraternity, and later 1961 and retired in 2003.  David held several positions, including senior accountant, assistant controller, and campus planning manager. He was particularly proud to have been a recipient of WHOI’s Vetlesen Award, given to an individual who symbolizes the essence of WHOI’s spirit: outstanding performance coupled with major contributions and dedication to the WHOI community. While there, he served on the institution’s retirement committee for more than 30 years, and after retiring, maintained membership as a WHOI Associate.

David was a member and director of the Falmouth Rod & Gun Club and the first president of the newly organized Falmouth Jaycees. He loved his summer home on Sebago Lake in Raymond, ME, and spent time there with his wife, three children, and seven grandchildren, along with many close friends. David enjoyed boating, swimming, cross-country skiing, black belt sudoku, and his faithful companion dog, Sadie. He will be missed dearly by all.

David is survived by his wife of 64 years, Marilyn Rudden, of Mashpee, MA; his two sons Scott D. Rudden (Shelly), of Cocoa Beach, FL, and Steven M. Rudden, of Jupiter, FL; his daughter Susan R. Horgan (Jack), of Plymouth, MA; his wonderful grandchildren who he was very proud of, Gina, Kristina, Connor, Ty, Erin, Patrick (Julia) and Jacqueline. He is also survived by many special nieces, nephews, and cousins. David was predeceased by his parents Robert and Gena Rudden, and his sister, Janet Glover.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 11 a.m. in St. Jude’s Chapel at Christ the King Church, 5 Job’s Fishing Rd., in Mashpee, MA.

Donations in David’s memory may be made the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023 or online at www.diabetes.org, or to the MSPCA-Angell Cape Cod Animal Care & Adoption Center, Attn: Donations, 350 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130 or online at www.mspca.org

Information for this obituary is from the Chapman Funeral Home Website