RUESCH, Warren Ernest (died 2003)

RUESCH, JOHNSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/31/2009 at 15:53:28

Warren Ernest Ruesch, 81, the son of Gena (Johnson) and Ernest Ruesch, was born February 12, 1921, in Medford, Wisconsin, and died Sunday morning, (Jan. 19, 2003) at Risen Son Christian Village, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Warren and his wife, Margaret "Peggy," moved to 3000 Risen Son Blvd. Apt.# 305 in Council Bluffs in 1999.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 705 3rd Ave., Charles City with Rev. Irving Sandberg officiating. Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 at the church prior to the service. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery. The family requests memorial expressions to be directed to the Messiah Lutheran Church.

Warren graduated in 1939 from Medford (Wisc.) High School. While attending school, he was the lightweight member of the boxing team. He attended the University of Wisconsin, met his future wife the final semester of his senior year, and graduated with a degree in journalism. Warren and Margaret "Peggy" (Erickson) were married, Sept. 5, 1948, in Pigeon Falls, Wisc. Warren utilized his degree throughout his employment career beginning as publisher at the New Glarus Post in New Glarus, Wisc. Later he became the owner and editor of that newspaper. He also worked at the American Scientific Labs in Madison, Wisc., as a science writer, eventually transferring to the position of advertising manager. In 1963, Warren and his family moved to Charles City, Iowa, from Madison, where he was the advertising manager at Salsbury Laboratories in communications, formally retiring in 1984.

Warren was honorably discharged upon completing five years of service to his country. He was a W.W.II Army veteran serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the European Theatre. Warren was a former member of the American Legion Post #164 in Charles City.

Some of Warren's interests and leisure activities included painting landscape pictures, tent-camping trips with his family to Peninsula Park, Wisc., carving wood into folk and animated characters, and traveling nationally and internationally with Peggy. Some of their great memory vacations were to Sweden, Norway, Alaska, Norway, Hawaii, Switzerland, London and Hawaii. Both also enjoyed time in the kitchen cooking "lefse." Warren was known for being gentle, kind, and faithful to his church. He was blessed with a great sense of humor. Warren's sons fondly remember their Dad answering many a "How do you?" questions when they were very young. They always looked to him, as if he should know all the answers.

Warren is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margaret "Peggy" Ruesch of Council Bluffs, Iowa; his two sons, Jack Ruesch and wife, Gloria of Council Bluffs, and James Ruesch and wife, Alisa of Baltimore, Md.; his brother, Lloyd Ruesch and wife, Mae of Grants Pass, Ore.; and two sisters, Frances Merwin of Abbotsford, Wisc.; and Marian Merwin of West Bend, Wisc.. He will also be sadly missed by his grandsons, Eric Ruesch and Jakob Ruesch and many other relatives and friends.

The Fullerton Hage Funeral Home and Cremation Services (641-228-4211 www.fullertonfh.com) is in charge of the arrangements.