Rueben Harold Ruff

Rueben Harold Ruff, 86, lifelong area resident and member of a Columbia Basin pioneer family, passed away Saturday, May 30, 2009, at his home in Moses Lake.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, June 5, 2009, at the Moses Lake First Presbyterian Church with Pastor Dale Novasky and Pastor Deverett Butrick officiating. Interment will follow at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.

You may sign the gues tbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com.

Rueben was born in Ruff, Wash., Dec. 3, 1922, son of John and Pauline (Schmauder) Ruff, German-Russian farmers, who homesteaded in Ruff, Wash. He began his education at a one-room school house in Ruff and later attended classes at a school in Wheeler before graduating from Central High School in Neppel. Throughout his youth and young adult years, he helped on the family farm in Ruff. He was married to Darlene Ramm on Aug. 21, 1949, at the Ruff Congregational Church, where his parents had been married years before. They continued to live and farm in Ruff for many years. They later purchased other farm land twelve miles northeast of Moses Lake, where they lived and farmed for the next thirty-five years. Following his retirement from farming in the late 1980s they moved into Moses Lake where they have lived since. In addition to running his own farm he did custom harvesting in the area, worked at the U & I Sugar Plant for several years, drove school bus for the Moses Lake School District and taught Agriculture at Big Bend Community College when the class was held at one of the hangers at the Ephrata Airport. In his down time, he enjoyed tinkering and building things, including items of furniture, many of which are still used by family members.

Rueben and Darlene are former members and served as deacons of the Pilgrim Congregational Church and the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church, past members of the Lakeview Missionary Church and currently attending the Evangelical Methodist Church. Rueben was a member of the Grant County Historical Society and enjoyed the time spent building many of their floats over the years.

He is survived by his loving wife of nearly sixty years, Darlene Ruff, Moses Lake; two daughters, Ruby Keenan, Othello, Connie Kast, Moses Lake; three grandchildren, Lana (Felipe) Keenan Martinez, Kasey Allen Kast and Desiree (Spc. Scott) Sunford; two great-grandchildren, Madison Martinez and Maddox Martinez; two brothers, Robert Ruff and Edwin Ruff, both of Moses Lake; and numerous nieces and nephews.

His parents; two brothers; Walter and Raymond; one sister, Esther Ruff; two sons-in-law, Keith Kast and George Keenan; and two grandchildren, Echo Marie Kast and Kyle Kelly Keenan, preceded him in death.

Reuben Ruff was a well liked and loved man in the community. He was a loving husband and father. He was a joy to his numerous grandkids and great-grandkids. He had numerous talents from working the fields to his craftsmanship. Although his hands were calloused they were gentle and kind. A final comment from his son-in-law Spc. Scott Sunford, “It seems appropriate though. He went working and he had fresh dirt under his finger nails. Like a real farmer.”

Memorial may be made to a charity of donor’s choice.