By Memorial Funeral Home. This obituary originally appeared here.
Hadley Ruggles Rood of Portsmouth, RI, age 92, passed away October 13, 2020, of heart failure after a brief hospitalization.
Born in Arlington, MA, Hadley, attended Ohio’s Marietta College. He received a degree in Business Administration and an MBA from Northeastern University. In 1953, he joined the US Navy, attended officer’s candidate school, and became a Lieutenant in the Naval Air Corps, stationed at USNAS, Quonset Point, RI.
After completing his Navy service in 1956 Hadley relocated to Bedford, Massachusetts where he began his professional accounting career. Moving from Massachusetts to Montclair and then Basking Ridge, New Jersey, he continued his business management and accounting career serving as CFO for Gusmer Enterprises, Inc. Subsequently, he performed consulting work with AT&T and formed his own business, HRR Associates, providing financial planning and tax services to individuals. He served as President of the New Jersey Association of Professional Accountants and was a member of the National Society of Tax Professionals. Hadley genuinely enjoyed his work and continued serving clients until age 91 — a great example of Mark Twain’s “Find a job you love doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
During his time in New Jersey, Hadley was an active Kiwanian, receiving recognition for distinguished service. He further maintained a healthy work-life balance as an active recreational sailor and served for many years on the Board of the Harlem Yacht Club of City Island, NY. Hadley and his wife Susan relocated from Basking Ridge, NJ to Portsmouth, RI. There Hadley continued his sailing out of the Bristol Yacht Club for several years, maintained his accounting and tax practice for loyal clients, and doted over his beloved cats, Ben and Jerry.
Hadley is survived by his wife Susan Rood, their son William Hadley Rood of Jersey City, NJ and by his daughters Katherine Rood Briggs of Delray Beach, FL and Lauren Ann Hanke of Highland Lakes, NJ.
Mr. Rood was predeceased by his siblings Laurajean Rood and Halsted Melville Rood.
A virtual memorial service is being planned. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.