Willie RUITER

RUITER, KNEPP, GELNER, CLAUSSEN, SHROMOFF, TORESDAHL, STUMO

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/25/2014 at 15:39:58

October 15, 1920 --- July 19, 2014

FOREST CITY -- Willie Ruiter, 93, of Forest City, died Saturday, July 19, 2014, at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 26, 2014, at Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark St., Forest City, with Pastor Chuck Layton of the United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Petersen Lund Funeral Home. Interment will be held in Immanuel Reformed Cemetery in rural Belmond, Iowa. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Willie Ruiter Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Willie Ruiter, the son of Fredrick and Henrietta (Knepp) Ruiter, was born Oct. 15, 1920. Willie was united in marriage on Jan. 29, 1946, to Vera Gelner at the St. James Parsonage in Forest City. In March of 1946 Vera and Willie started farming in Belmond. They later moved to a farm by Fertile in March of 1947 and after spending many years there bought a farm by Forest City in 1967. The couple enjoyed farming with their children, Byron, Jack and Debbie. Vera and Willie moved to Mason City in 2005, where they resided for many years.

Willie enjoyed living and working on the farm. He had a love of cars and also enjoyed shopping for treasures at the Village Store in Clear Lake and having coffee with his friends. Willie and his wife Vera enjoyed ballroom dancing and visited the Surf Ballroom weekly. He enjoyed the time he spent with his family and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his son, Byron and Barb Ruiter of Forest City; daughter, Deb and Jeff Claussen of Blaine, Minn., and son, Jack and Marie of Northwood, Iowa; grandchildren, Patrick Ruiter of Mason City, Cindy Ruiter of Mason City, Jason Claussen, Jacob Claussen, and Amanda (Chris) Shromoff of Blaine, Minn., Emily (Barnes) Toresdahl and Timothy (Andrea) Stumo; great-grandchildren, Lillian Vera Ruiter, Ivy Toresdahl, Calan Stumo, Owen Charles Shromoff and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Dennis; grandson, Charles Ruiter and 13 siblings: Harms, Henry, Fred, Eppie, John, Recka, Faye, Bernard, Grace, Simon, Sena, Andrew and Remer.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Good Samaritan Home for the wonderful care and compassion they gave to Willie during his stay.
Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark St., Forest City, IA.

July 24, 2014
Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa