Ruden, Harold J. 1918-2003

RUDEN, GOETZINGER, NULL

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/28/2009 at 16:40:29

LE MARS, Iowa -- Harold J. Ruden, 84, longtime Le Mars auctioneer and Realtor, died Saturday, April 12, 2003, at Plymouth Manor in Le Mars following a brief illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. James Catholic Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. James Tigges officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. Tuesday, with a parish rosary at 4 p.m., a Scriptural wake service at 7 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary followed by a 4th Degree wake service at 8 p.m., all at the church. Arrangements are being handled by Feuerstein Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Harold was born July 4, 1918, in Oyens, Iowa, the son of Joseph M. and Mary (Goetzinger) Ruden. He grew up near Oyens, and at the age of 18 he attended the Reisch Auctioneer School in Austin, Minn. Harold started his career with Dick Richards of Moville and later operated his own business in Le Mars for many years.

He married Gracie Null on April 8, 1947, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Sioux City. The couple lived their entire married life in Le Mars, serving the area through Ruden Realty and Auction. His wife, Gracie, passed away on March 3, 1993.

Mr. Ruden was a member of St. James Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, Trinity Council 1466. He was also a past president of the Le Mars Little League Association and past president of the Iowa Farm and Land Brokers Association. For more than 40 years, he was the auctioneer for the "Little Yellow Dog" auction in Sioux City.

Survivors include his four children, Linda Hildebrandt and her husband, William of Memphis, Tenn., Janet Wimer and her husband, Stephen of Fremont, Neb., Walter P. Ruden and his wife, Patricia of Fitchburg, Wis., and Daniel R. Ruden and his wife, Joyce of Le Mars; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; four brothers, Ray Ruden and his wife, Lorraine of Struble, Iowa, Joe Ruden and his wife, Bonnie, and Eldon Ruden and his wife, Mildred, all of Le Mars, and Thomas Ruden and his wife, Marva of East Alton, Ill.; five sisters, Mrs. Mary Ann Van Arb of Alton, Iowa, Erma Bush and her husband, Leland of Cherokee, Iowa, Mrs. Florence Madsen, Cy Ahlers and her husband, Robert and Jeannie Woll and her husband, Larry, all of Le Mars; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ens. Walter N. Ruden and Sylvius Ruden.

Pallbearers will be his six grandsons, Alex Hildebrandt, Matthew Wimer, Brady Wimer, Ryan Olsen, Nicholas Ruden and D.J. Ruden.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection