Robert Joseph Ruckriegel III died on Friday, December 19, 2025, in Austin, TX, after complications from a recent diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Bob was born on December 6, 1950 to the late Robert (Chuck) and Doris Ruckriegel, and was their only child. He was raised in Jeffersontown, KY, and attended Trinity High School in Louisville. He graduated with a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville J.B Speed School of Engineering. Bob spent his entire career with IBM, starting in Lexington, KY. He later moved to the IBM plant in Boulder, CO, and ended his career in Austin, TX where he moved with his new bride in 1990.
Bob loved to stay active and fit, & he often said that he "trained for the dinner table." He was an avid cyclist, completing numerous multi-day bicycle trips over the mountain passes of Colorado, including the one where he met his wife, Kara Lee. He later took up running, swimming, & weight-training. He was still participating in these activities up to the month that his illness was diagnosed. In fact, he and Kara Lee had just spent a wonderful week hiking and running in their favorite place, Tucson, AZ, the month before his diagnosis.
Bob grew up without pets, so when Kara Lee suggested getting an Australian Shepherd, he reluctantly agreed. After a couple years with Rosie, their first Aussie, he grew to be a fan of any sort of dog he'd see and became a true dog person. Rosie, then Nellie, and now Gracie could always make him smile with their silly antics, and Gracie is seriously missing his presence.
While still working at IBM, Bob became a referee for middle school, high school, and club girls volleyball. He refereed for the next 25 years and was great at it. He had a way of relieving the tension at the start of a match, and was unflappable in the face of unreasonable parents or coaches.
Bob is survived by his wife of 35 years, Kara Lee (Macey). He will be missed by his sisters-in-law Terri Macey, Julie (husband Steve) Tiede, and Michelle Macey, as well as numerous cousins both near and far.
Funeral mass is 10am Friday, January 9, 2026 at St. Edward Catholic Church, 9608 Sue Helen Dr., Louisville, KY 40299 with private burial. There will be a get-together at the church after Mass. Visitation is 3-6pm Thursday, January 8, 2026 at Fern Creek Funeral Home, 5406 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40291.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of these organizations that were close to Bob's heart: The Puppy Food Bank, Trinity High School in Louisville, or Friends of Sabino Canyon in Tucson, AZ.