RUITER, Donald Faye "Donnie" "Don"

RUITER, KAHLER, LAGE, HARDESTY, TRAETOW, THEDE, DELONG, BOELMAN, KNIGHT, SPRAU, KOHL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/9/2016 at 16:49:02

Obituary ~ Donald Faye "Donnie" "Don" Ruiter
March 31, 1935 ~ October 16, 2015

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Funeral services for Donald Ruiter, 80, of Thornton will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday at Thornton United Methodist Church with Pastor Crystal Oberheu presiding. Interment will be at the Meservey Cemetery. Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, at Retz Funeral Home, Thornton.

Donald Faye Ruiter was born on March 31, 1935 to Bernard and Marie (Kahler) Ruiter. He attended country school near Klemme until the 8th grade and graduated from Meservey High School in 1954.

On September 20, 1954 Donald was united in marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Joan June Lage in Meservey, Iowa. Together they raised two sons, Randy (Suzie) Ruiter of Denver, Iowa and Danny Ruiter of Norfolk, Nebraska.

Donnie and Joan worked for Fashion Farm in Meservey until buying the locker plant in Thornton, Iowa in 1964 where they worked until closing it in 1985. They then worked for the Sheffield Care Center for the next ten years before retiring.

Donnie loved the outdoors and instilled that love in his sons and he hunted and fished until his health no longer allowed it. He loved sitting on his deck and looked forward to friends stopping by to visit. His favorite past time was watching sports on television and cheering on the Hawks, Twins or Cubs. He was a loving grandfather and great – grandfather and was always concerned that his “kids” were okay.

After fighting many battles with his health, Don passed away on Friday, October 16, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa.

Don is survived by his sons: Randy (Suzie) Ruiter, Denver, IA; Danny Ruiter, Norfolk, NE; sister: Janet (Glenn) Hardesty, Lexington, NE; granddaughters: Megan (Brock) Traetow, Clive, IA; Bethany (Chris) Thede, Cedar Falls, IA; Jessica (Colton) DeLong, Norfolk, NE; Richele Ruiter, Norfolk, NE and Erica Cory, Lincoln, NE; great grandchildren: Drake & Finley Traetow, Emersyn Thede; nephews: Bret (Sue) Lage, Meservey, Bryce (friend Kristi) Boelman, Lexington, NE; nieces: Jody (Newt) Knight, Fairfield, CA; Jenee (Scott) Sprau, Meservey; aunt: Avon Kohl, River Falls, WI; and a number of cousins, great nieces and great nephews.

Don is preceded in death by his wife, Joan June Lage Ruiter, parents, Bernerd and Marie Ruiter, in-laws: Agnes and Earl Lage, brother-in-law and sister-in-law: Dale and Gloria Lage.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2016