Pike Township Family Stories
RUESS FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 356
By Vonda RuessJohn Ruess (1825-1908) and Margaretha Burger (1835-1925) were born in Germany. They purchased the home farm known as “Maple Lawn” in 1881 from the U. S. government. It is a Centennial Farm.
Henry Ruess (1860-1937) was a son of John Ruess and Margaretha Burger Ruess. Wilhelmina Brugman (1860-1935), a daughter of John Brugman and Theresa Brugman, was born in Nichols. They were married in January 1890 at St. Joseph’s church in West Liberty. They lived at “Maple Lawn”.
Robert Ruess was born September 1924, a son of Albert Ruess and Margaret Gatens Ruess. Geraldine Wissink, a daughter of Aloysius Wissink and Katharina Holtermann Wissink, was born September 1925. They were married 1 June 1948 at St. Mary’s church in Lone Tree. They now live at “Maple Lawn” farm.
WILLIAM RUESS FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 355
By Vonda RuessWilliam Albert Ruess was born a son of Robert Henry Ruess and Geraldine Dorothy Wissink Ruess. He was raised on his parents’ farm north of Nichols. Bill went to college at Creighton university for one year and Iowa state university at Ames for two semesters. Then he started working for Bonanza Buildings in West Liberty, where he remained for 5 ˝ years before becoming self employed as a carpenter. He has been doing this work since then. He picked up new skills in cabinet making when he and his family moved to Corpus Christi, Texas for 19 months. Upon returning to Iowa, the Ruess family purchased a home at 115 McKinley in Nichols, where Bill has his own cabinet and contracting business.
Vonda Kay Fix was born in Muscatine, a daughter of Donald Pahl Fix and Florence Leslie Ridenour Fix. She moved to the West Liberty area when her parents purchased a farm. After high school Vonda spent a year in Australia as a foreign exchange student. This was Vonda’s most memorable experience, and she and Bill hope to visit there in the future.
The whole family loves to camp and fish and go to Bill’s softball games. Bill and Vonda water ski and play golf. The summer of 198 was a memorable one for Bill. He had the thrill of hitting his first home run over the fence at Wapsi park in West Liberty, and while vacationing in the Ozarks with friends, he had the unique experience of learning to barefoot water ski.
Bill comes from a family of seven children: Terry Fix of West Liberty; Dick Fix of Portland, Maine; Julie Penno of Dayton, Ohio; Larry Fix of Rochester, Iowa; Kathy Carter of West Liberty, and John Fix of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
There are four children in Vonda’s family. Her oldest sister, Vickie Eddings, lives in Medford, Oregon; Vince Fix is in California, and Vanessa Fix is at home in rural West Liberty.
Bill and Vonda’s children are Clarissa Kay Ruess, born in Iowa City; Casey William Ruess and Charles James Ruess, twins born in Iowa City, and Kelsi Mellisa, born in Corpus Christi, Texas.
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Page created December 31, 2010 by Lynn McCleary