Daniel "Dan" Maltby Rugg III

Daniel “Dan” Maltby Rugg III December 30, 1945 - February 6, 2026 Daniel Rugg, husband, father, grandfather, brother, Naval officer, and lifelong competitive sailor, died on February 6, 2026, at his home in Centreville, Maryland, after battling cancer for several years. He was 80. An adventurous soul with a lifelong love for the sea, Dan was loyal, dapper, smart, polished and punctual, with a wry sense of humor. Always fascinated by time, clocks, and precise dates, Dan would appreciate the noteworthy 02/06/2026 date of his passing. He was born in New York City on December 30, 1945, to Daniel M. Rugg Jr. and Carol Van Zandt Rugg. Dan was the older brother to his siblings Peter and Elizabeth. A well-rounded athlete, Dan was a quarterback, a pitcher, and a hockey player as he attended Buckley County Day School on Long Island, then The Choate School in Wallingford, CT. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy and was then accepted to the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) in Bainbridge, MD. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, in 1970, commissioned as Ensign. He was the first two-time All-American sailor on the USNA sailing team, awarded the honors for both the 1969 and 1970 seasons. Dan married his high school sweetheart, Hallie Pennington Rogers, on June 27, 1970, at St. James Church in Manhattan, following his commissioning from the USNA. They embarked on a ten-year trek of moves across the country in service of Dan’s military career. In 1972, their daughter Frazier was born, followed by her brother Whitney in 1974. Meanwhile, Dan’s Naval duty sent him to the Gulf of Tonkin in the Vietnam theater, where he served on the Destroyer USS Higbee (DD-806), as a Weapons Officer. On April 19, 1972, Higbee was the only US warship bombed by a North Vietnamese MIG during the war. Dan was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" for Valor. In 1974, Dan and Hallie moved their family from San Diego, CA to Halifax, Nova Scotia for two years while Dan served in the Canadian Navy via the Canadian Naval Exchange. He was on active duty in the Navy until July of 1979, and remained in the reserves for 20+ years, retiring at the rank of Captain. Dan and Hallie moved to Clearwater, FL, in 1979, for yet another adventure. As Vice President of Hood Sailmakers, Dan was a salesman, sailmaker, and professional sailor. He later became President and owner of the franchise. In 1985, Dan co-founded the St. Petersburg Grand Prix with Hallie and her father Bud Rogers, bringing motorsports racing to the streets of St. Petersburg for the first time. With more knowledge to share in service, Dan returned to Annapolis in 1989, as the Sailing Master of USNA’s Command & Seamanship Training Squadron (CSTS). He trained two generations of Midshipmen to be proficient on the ocean. Dan was an expert instructor of seamanship, navigation, leadership, and teamwork for over 20 years. In his spare time, Dan was a coach/consultant/trainer and delivery captain along the Eastern Seaboard, finally coming ashore in 2019. A devout Episcopalian, Dan was active with Hallie at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville. He was a Master of Acolytes and a dedicated servant of the vestry. Despite his life of accomplishments, Dan remained a combination of proud and humble. His greatest achievement was his family. Known as GranDan to his grandchildren, he loved spending time with them and proudly shared their recent accomplishments with his friends. Dan was a human version of LinkedIn. He never forgot a name and went out of his way to mentor people and make connections. Dan nurtured and treasured his many friendships and remained very involved with his class at Choate and USNA as an alumnus. In his last days, he was visited by friends going back 60+ years. Dan is survived by his children: daughter Frazier and her husband Kevin Walker, of North East, MD, son Whitney and his wife Kelli, of Middletown, RI; his grandchildren: Taylor Cantor, Ellis Walker, Campbell Walker, Morgan Rugg, and Alden Rugg; his siblings: brother Peter Rugg and his wife Meredith, of Newport, RI, sister Betsy and her husband Bruce Whitmore, of Holderness, NH; his aunt Sally Lorson, of Westfield, MA; and many dear relatives and friends. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Hallie in 2024, and several beloved relatives and friends. Arrangements are under the care of Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, 408 South Liberty Street, Centreville, MD 21617, (410) 758-1151. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 13, 2026, at 1030, at the US Naval Academy Chapel, 101 Cooper Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, with inurnment to follow at the columbarium. Celebrants are welcome to join us for a luncheon at the Officers’ Club from 1200-1500. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dan’s memory to: The Naval Academy Sailing Foundation, 501c.3 https://www.navalacademysailingfoundation.org/donate.