Ruter, Eugene T.

Eugene T. Ruter, 81, of Wellsburg, died on Monday, June 14, 2010, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He was born on April 19, 1929, to Herman and Etta Stoehr Ruter in Shiloh Township, Grundy County, where he lived and farmed for his entire life.

A 1946 graduate of Wellsburg Community High School, Ruter was married to Thelma Okones at the Wellsburg Reformed Church on November 6, 1952. From 1948 to 1955, he served in the United States Army National Guard. He was formerly Deacon in the Wellsburg Reformed Church and President of the Wellsburg Community Club. Since 1978, he has sat on the Grundy County Planning and Zoning Commission and has served on occasion as its chairman.

Ruter is survived by wife Thelma of Wellsburg; son Allan, daughter-in-law Jill (Mussay), and grandsons Karl and Edward Ruter, all of Glenview, Illinois; daughter Teresa and son-in-law Michael Kelly of Iowa City, and grandsons Walter Kelly of Iowa City, and James Kelly of Vinton; sister Erma and brother-in-law Duane Meyer of Marshalltown; brothers-in-law and wives Lee and Glenda (Harlan) Okones and Neil and Janice (Etjen) Okones, all of Wellsburg; great aunts Emma (Ruter) deNeui of Ackley and Alice Ruter of Wellsburg; ten nieces and nephews and a host of relatives and friends.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Wellsburg Reformed Church, 617 East Fourth Street in Wellsburg. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 19, at 1:30 p.m., also at the Wellsburg Reformed Church. The Sietsema Funeral Home of Ackley is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the Caring Fund of the University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, Iowa 52244-4550.