Robert C. Arruda ’54, ’58 MAT

Robert C. Arruda ’54, ’58 MAT, of Bristol, R.I.; Apr. 14. He earned advanced degrees from Georgetown University and University of Coimbra (Portugal), and a doctorate of modern languages from Middlebury College in 1977. He was a professor of modern languages in French, Portuguese, and Spanish at State University of Bridgewater (Mass.) for 37 years, retiring in 1997. Following his retirement he taught classes at several local and international colleges and universities. Well-versed in French, Portuguese, and Spanish, he spent many years working and studying in Europe, bringing his experiences back to southern New England. Much of his career was spent teaching languages at Rhode Island universities, including Brown, Providence College, Rhode Island College, and Salve Regina. One of the original founding members of the Bristol Art Museum, he also served several local organizations, including the Coimbra Club, Alliance Française of Providence, and Mosaico Community Development Corp., and he was a 20-year trustee of the Rogers Free Library. He was an active communicant of St. Mary’s Church and served as a eucharistic minister, lector, and on the St. Vincent de Paul Society committee, and he enjoyed giving guided tours of the stained glass windows and the stations of the cross of St. Mary’s. Later in life, his favorite activities included traveling the world with his wife, weekly breakfasts with his “Romeo” group, and working in his garden. He is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter; a son and daughter-in-law; four grandchildren; a sister; and several nieces and nephews.