Dave Ruthruff, founder and driving force behind the large DMS (Digital Music Systems) route headquartered in Kent, Wash., passed away on June 14 at the age of 75.
His long career operating amusement games began in the late 1970s when he, along with some family members and friends, put out some video games among Northwest locations and as they say, he enjoyed rolling quarters so much he made it his life’s work.
A decade later, he officially founded DMS, having expanded into jukeboxes and the whole gamut of amusements from darts to tables, eventually into ATMs. An employee said that DMS “was Dave’s dream realized and a source of purpose and pride for the rest of this life. He truly marched to the beat of his own drum and never did anything small.”
In whatever free time he allowed himself, the Seattle native was an avid golfer and fisherman in Alaska and at his vacation home in Hawaii. He is survived by his wife Jeni, three daughters and their husbands and five grandchildren. Rest in peace, Dave. You sure made your mark in life.