Colin B. Rulong

Warren – Colin B. Rulong, 78, passed away Saturday June 25, 2022, at the Hospice House in Poland after a lengthy illness.

                Colin was born Sunday, July 18, 1943, in Charleroi, PA, the son of Neil and Doris (Willett) Rulong. His family moved to Warren, in 1957, from California, PA.

                 He was a 1961, graduate of Warren G. Harding High School, and joined the Navy, September of that year, with his best friend Stan Velenski.

                He spent his career in the Navy, as a BT2, aboard the destroyer, USS Barry. The Barry was deployed in October 1962, as part of the Cuban Blockade, during that time he was in charge of communications. That day in October when a phone call came in and wanted to speak to his Captain, his answer was “wait one” as he handed the phone to his Captain. As he stood outside the door, he could hear the conversation and heard his Captain say Yes Sir, Mr. President, I’ll take care of that. Little did Colin know, he had said “wait one” to President John F. Kennedy. Colin was honorably Discharged in September 1965.

                He began working at Van Huffel Tube, as a boiler operator, and there as a garage mechanic, until its closing in 1984. During his employment years, he worked at various steel mills and plastic factories.

 He also worked for Clancey & Globe Security, retiring in 2006, from W.C.I. Colin was a Hunter Safety Instructor, with O.D.N.R. at Leavettsburg, Fish & Game, a member of Blue Knights Chapter 14 of Ohio, and belonged to the American Legion, Post 540 in Cortland.

He loved working crossword puzzles and trying to figure out the “which two are alike” in the Sunday funnies, and he loved fishing with Megan and playing “ABBA” music to bug Christina. He was always trying to teach, the great grandsons, tricks.

Colin was creative and Inventive and known as someone who could design, rebuild, and repair almost anything. His latest builds were with popsicle sticks, which he considered, works of art, sailing ships and submarines and such.              

He is survived by his wife of 59 years the former Sandra Sue Gillespie Rulong, they were married June 3, 1963, in Warren, son David B. Rulong, daughter Colleen Sue (Mark) Bryant and Wendy Lee Rulong, brother Neil (Mary) Rulong of Leavettsburg, sisters Dennise Lindsay of Cortland, and Danielle (John) Walker of Leavettsburg, grandchildren Megan Rulong, Christina (Joseph) Swistok, Nicholas, Joseph and Mark Bryant, Ryan and Erik Rulong and Samuel J. Kiss, great grandchildren Devon Hanlon, McKenna Bard, Camden Swistok, Samuel, Colin, and Oliver Bryant, and Kayden Becker. Survivores also include sister-in-laws Nancy Engle, Robin (Dennis) Reynolds, Kim Desserich, and Pat Rulong, and brother-in-laws James (Kathy) Gillespie, Robert Carmichael, and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded Colin in death were his parents, brother Richard Rulong, sister-in-law Alicia Bitner, Debra Carmichael, Virginia Rulong, and brother-in-law Dan Desserich, and grandson Raymond Matthew Rulong.

Friends and family will gather soon.

Arrangements were entrusted to the professional care of the Peter Rossi Memorial Chapel, 1884 North Rd. NE, Warren, Ohio.

Family and friends may visit www.peterrossiandsonfh.com to view this obituary, sign the guestbook and send condolences to the family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Colin B. Rulong, please visit our floral store.