Ruffridge, Norman Sylvester 1919 – 2002

RUFFRIDGE, BARTH, ANDERSON, PEREZ, DUNGEY, NELSON, HALSE, SOUKUP, BROM

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:38

Source: New Hampton Tribune; Sept. 27, 2002 Page 4

from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by Joy Moore

PELLA — Norman Sylvester Ruffridge, 83, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 2002.
Funeral Services were Thursday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. a t Peace Lutheran Church, Pella with Pastor Kim Wills presiding. Richard Whitaker was a reader and music was provided by Barb DePenning as organist accompanying Brenda Colvin as soloist.
Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery, Pella with Jaime Perez, Tracy Dungey, Dennis Ruffridge, Patrick Gallagher, Clair Halse and Bruce Soukup as casket bearers.
Norman Sylvester Ruffridge was born on Feb. 7, 1919 in Decorah, the second of eight children born to Frank and Cora Barth Ruffridge. He graduated from eighth grade in Decorah and attended Decorah High School. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Norm married Neoma Marie Anderson on May 30, 1948 at the Little Brown Church, Nashua. The couple managed the VFW Club in Decorah until 1952 when they moved to Moline, IL where Norm was employed at the arsenal and then for Illinois Gas and Electric. They returned to Decorah in 1959 where Norm did construction work. The couple then moved to Pella and purchased the A & W franchise from 1960 until 1997. Norm served on the board of the A & W Iowa Association and on the National Advisory Council for A & W operators. Norm and Neoma spent winters in Arizona for 20 years until 1999. Norm was admitted to the VA Medical Center, Knoxville in May of 2000, where he was cared for the remainder of his life. Norm was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Pella and was a member of the Pearl Harbor Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Van Veen - Van Hemert American Legion Post No. 89 of Pella and the Pella Golf and Country Club. He enjoyed playing cards, particularly pitch, golfing and traveling.
Survivors include his wife, Neoma; his two children, Rhonda L. (Jaime) Perez, Dover, PA and Rodney L. Ruffridge, Otley; two sisters, Fern Dungey, New Hampton and Virginia (Eldon) Nelson, Portage, WI; one brother, Palmer (Aria) Ruffridge, Decorah and two sisters-in-law, Beatrice (Anderson) Halse, East Moline, IL and Ceceil (Anderson) and Jerome Soukup, Moline, IL.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a sister, Harriet Brom and three brothers, Orville, Curtis and Gordon Ruffridge.
Memorials may be designated for the Peace Lutheran Church, Pella or the Crime Prevention Program of the Pella Police Department in Pella.