Robert "Dan" Rutkowski

Robert “Dan” Rutkowski, passed into God's hands on March 31, 2023.  He was born May 20, 1941 in Somerville, NJ to the late Stanley and Eleanor (Kosakowski) Rutkowski.  The family moved to Florida when Dan was in middle school and he graduated from Largo High School.  He attended St. Petersburg Jr. College before enlisting in the United Sates Air Force.

          Dan met his wife Laura (Zilkey) while stationed in Winnemucca, NV.  They would have been married 59 years on April 24. Dan worked for Nevada Bell in Reno for 15 years prior to accepting a promotion with AT&T in New Jersey.  He was an International Capacity Manager in the Satellite division.  The family lived in New Jersey until Dan retired early in 1996 to care for his father in Dunnellon, FL.

          Post retirement he obtained his real estate license and worked for Blue Run Realty. Dan was an active member of the First Methodist Church of Dunnellon, the Rainbow River Conservation and Tri County Radio Control Club. He served on the Dunnellon City council as Councilman and as Mayor. He was a past Vice Chair of the Marion Country Transportation Planning Organization, a member of the Historical Preservation Board and also served on the Chamber of Commerce Travel and Tourism committee.  He was an avid advocate for keeping the Rainbow River clean and participated in many river clean ups and maintained duck boxes. Dan was also a volunteer at the Will McLean festival for many years.  Dan loved the outdoors and was very active throughout his life enjoying sailing, hiking, biking and kayaking.

          Dan is survived by his wife Laura; his daughter Debra Brown; his granddaughter Taylor Sampson (Jared), grandson Andrew Brown and great grandson Aiden Sampson.  Dan was an honorable and much loved  family man and will be missed each and every day.

          If you wish to make a donation in his memory please choose either First Methodist Church of Dunnellon or Rainbow River Conservation. 

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, April 5 at 11 o' clock at First Methodist Church of Dunnellon with a reception immediately following. Burial will follow reception at Dunnellon Memorial Gardens.

Messages of sympathy may be left on Robert’s obituary on the funeral home’s website,www.robertsofdunnellon.com

Care for Robert and his family is being provided by Roberts Funeral Home of Dunnellon.

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