Carl Edward Ruud

Carl Edward Ruud passed away on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at his home in Cheney, Washington at the age of 80. Carl was born June 20, 1931 to Carl Oliver Ruud and Eloise McKay Ruud in Waterville, Washington. He was the 5th of 7 children and was nicknamed “Samson” by a hired man because he weighed 11 pounds at birth. Growing up on a ranch in Waterville in the 30s and 40s with his brothers and sisters was the country life we all read about in nostalgic novels. Carl attended school in Waterville, participating in sports and music programs, graduating in 1950 with letters in football, basketball, baseball and tennis. He attended Wenatchee Valley College and Eastern Washington College of Education (EWU) on football scholarships and graduated in 1954 with a BA in Physical Education and Social Studies, certified to teach. At Eastern, he met Marlene Diane Thiel. They were married in April of 1954. In October 1954, Carl “joined” the army and after training as a Medic in Texas was stationed in Germany in March 1955. He and Marlene lived in Landstuhl, Germany until the summer of 1956. He was discharged in September 1956. While in Europe, they visited eleven countries, usually camping in their tent. The trip to Europe, time spent there and the trip back, including many and varied adventures, were one of the highlights of their lives. Carl began his teaching career with the 1956-57 school year in Cashmere, Washington. He and Marlene spent the 1957-58 school year in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, where Carl received a Masters in Recreation Administration from the University of Illinois. While there, as a graduate teaching assistant he taught “Prescribed Exercise and Wrestling”. They returned to Cashmere for the 1958-59 school year and he taught and coached there until 1967. While living in Cashmere, Carl and Marlene had three daughters, Lisa, Tana and Lonna. He was a fun and active father, bike riding, gardening and swimming with his girls, and encouraging music and performance by building a stage in the backyard. Carl served on the Cashmere Park Board and as president of the Cashmere Chamber of Commerce. He also went into partnership with his brother John to purchased and manage the R Chuckwagon Drive-In in Cashmere. In 1967, Carl received his Masters in Education and certification as a school counselor from Eastern Washington State College. In June 1968 he was employed by EWSC as assistant professor and director of the Upward Bound Program. In July of that year, he and Marlene divorced. His family continued living in Cashmere, while he moved to Cheney. In Cheney, he met Patricia Fuechsel-Ritzheimer and they married in December of 1968. He and Patsy continued to live in Cheney with her three young sons, Fred, Mike and Pete. In 1988, Carl and Patsy became the parents of Patsy’s grand-daughter Katie, whom he loved beyond all other things. In 1983 he took a school counseling position at Priest River, Idaho Junior High. In 1985, he became the school counselor at Liberty Junior/Senior High school in Spangle, Washington. He worked at Liberty until 2002, at the age of 71, he retired from teaching. In total, he taught for 43 years. At the age of 14, Carl received his first guitar from a neighbor, Pete Hubacker. Carl’s mother encouraged musical appreciation with all of her children, and he participated in chorus and music programs in school at Waterville and at college. Of “Papas nine grandchildren, three are accomplished musicians. Beginning in 2005, he began his second career playing guitar and singing with various partners, sometimes at small venues, but primarily at retirement centers and nursing homes, where his love of traditional and folk music were very warmly appreciated. He loved gardening (especially the sport of raising dahlias with his brothers John and Francis) and participated in the Cheney Community Garden. He actively worked on his student apartments and enjoyed getting to know his renters. He enthusiastically worked on family history projects with his sister Esther. He enjoyed traveling to visit his children and grandchildren. Carl and his sister Esther ‘s lives always intertwined, they loved each other dearly and they became the very best of friends. He was his family’s peacemaker, his children’s friend and advisor. An extroverted “ideaman” always willing to get involved, or give a hand. He loved us unconditionally. He was taken unexpectedly and too soon. He is preceded in death by his parents, Oliver and Eloise Ruud and his step-son Michael Ritzheimer. He is survived by his wife Patricia, his daughters, Lisa Thompson, Tana Urizar, Lonna Welch and Katie Ritzheimer, his step-sons Fred Ritzheimer and Pete Ritzheimer, his brothers and sisters, Fred Ruud, Lois Stinson , John Ruud, Francis Ruud, Esther Stradling and Ila Rupley. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and many, many nieces and nephews whom he loved and kept track of in the tradition of his mother. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, at Cheney Funeral Chapel, 1632 W. 1st. St., Cheney, WA. Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 9 at the Waterville Cemetery.

Carl Edward Ruud

June 20, 1931 - April 3, 2012