MIAMITOWN — Jerry A. Ruberg, founder of Jay Tool & Die Co. here, died May 31 in a boating accident near his home in Englewood, Fla. The former Miamitown resident was 73.

        Mr. Ruberg, whose nickname was “Jay,” founded Jay Tool & Die in 1965 and ran it until 1990, when he turned it over to Mark Ruberg, one of his five sons.

        He made the business a success by turning out high-quality tools and focusing on customers.

        “Dad ran his business with no one but the customer in mind,” said another son, Dave of Alexandria. “The customer always came first.”

        But in his personal life, it was his family that came first.

        A firm believer in Catholic education, Mr. Ruberg put his sons through Catholic grade schools and La Salle High School.

        He taught them his own strong work ethic and the importance of responsibility. “He turned us into men,” said Dave Ruberg.

        He also had a lot of fun with them. All five have fond memories of going to Reds games and River Downs racetrack with their dad. They've spent the past couple of weeks reminiscing about Florida vacations and river excursions that seemed like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn adventures.

        Evidence of Mr. Ruberg's devotion to family could be found in the hundreds of family pictures that were placed on the walls of his home workshop.

        His passions were water and boating. When he wasn't working, he was tooling up and down the Ohio River on his latest boat. He owned several over the years, naming the last two “Jays Five” (for his sons) and “Two Rubys” for himself and his wife when they became empty nesters.

        After son Mark took over the business, Mr. Ruberg retired to Florida. He selected a home with a canal behind it so he could indulge his passion for boating.

        In addition to sons Dave and Mark, survivors include: Shirley Mae Rieman Ruberg, his wife of 52 years; three other sons, Thomas of Colerain Township, Kenneth of Mount Healthy and Randy of Englewood, Fla.; two sisters, Jean Lachenman of Cincinnati and Betty Spindler of Dayton; two brothers, Allen “Chub” Ruberg of Monfort Heights and Dan Ruberg of Naples, Fla.; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

        A memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Margaret Mary Church, Grace Avenue and West Galbraith Road in North College Hill, followed by a celebration at Mark Ruberg's residence, 9307 Harrison Ave. in Miamitown.

        Mr. Ruberg's remains were cremated and interred at St. Francis Assisi Church in Englewood, Fla.

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