Evelyn (Montgomery) RUKA

MONTGOMERY, RUKA, GRACIE, EBRIGHT, KIRKPATRICK, BARNETT, BURROUGHS, DUEAND, BEUKEMA

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:54

September 15, 1926 ---- October 2, 2018

Evelyn (Montgomery) Ruka
Evelyn M. Ruka of Boulder, CO, formerly of Iowa, Illinois and San Diego, CA, passed away on Oct. 2, 2018, in Longmont, CO. Evelyn was born on Sept. 15, 1926, in Moville, County Donegal, Ireland, to Josiah and Isabella (Gracie) Montgomery. At the tender age of 11 months Evelyn and her mother sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to join her father in Goodell, Iowa. She was a graduate of Goodell High School and received a B.A. in Fine Arts from Drake University in 1945. Evelyn was a radio host and worked for stations WOC (Davenport IA), WSMI (Litchfield, IL), and WDZ (Decatur, IL). Her favorite memory was interviewing then-Senator John F. Kennedy during the 1960 presidential campaign. Evelyn also worked for the Illinois Departments of Public Aid and Personnel in Springfield, IL. She served on the Illinois Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities and was a representative to the Illinois Society of Autistic Children. After moving to Boulder, she worked for Franscona Joiner Goodman and Greenstein, PC and the Geological Society of America. She was a member of Mountain View UMC, United Methodist Women, Pi Beta Epsilon, PEO, and Military Officers of America.

Evelyn liked to play bridge and serve as a liturgist at Mountain View. Evelyn's loving advice to friends was, "One really can't afford to take yourself seriously all the time. Keep some humor alive, get a kick out of life... it's a good trip."

Evelyn married her childhood friend (and love), Lyle Ruka, on May 19, 1979, in Boulder, CO. She loved her stepchildren Vance (Anita) Ruka, Valorie Ruka and Vicki (Jeff) Ebright, who survive her. She also is survived by grandchildren Paxton Ebright and Karen Kirkpatrick, and great-grandchildren Griffin Barnett, Sophia Burroughs, Chloe Ebright and Jake Ebright. Her surviving relatives include Bernice (Loyal) Durand, Lynn (Lorraine) Ruka, Gary (Sheila) Ruka and Marilyn Beukema. Evelyn also is survived by many dear friends, including Kate (John) Bemis, Jerry (Linda) Bemis, Sidney Brockman, Mollie Wertman, Bethany Newberry, Jean (Jim) Urynowicz, Cheryl Runyon and Gary and Ryan Schmitz. Evelyn was preceded in death by the love of her life, Lyle Ruka, and her parents, Josiah and Isabella Montgomery.

A memorial service will take place on Monday, Oct. 8, at 1:00 p.m. at Frasier Meadows Retirement Community's Chapel (4th floor). Rev. Bob Ritzen and Rev. Sarah Merchant will officiate. Interment will be at the Reinbeck Cemetery, Reinbeck, Iowa, at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to TRU Community Care, 2594 Trail Ridge Dr. East, Lafayette, CO 80026 (please designate Evelyn Ruka memorial).

The Daily Camera -- Boulder, Colorado
October 7, 2018