LOGANSPORT – The Rev. Donald L. Ruhl, 82, passed away at 12:15 p.m. Oct. 1, 2011, in Grace Village Retirement Center, Winona Lake, where he and his wife, Sylvia, have resided for the past eight years.
He was born Feb. 27, 1929, in Ossian, to Benjamin and Jane Ruhl. On May 20, 1948, at EUB Church, Newville, he married Sylvia Washler, who survives.
He attended grade school at Ossian before attending Hoagland High School, graduating in 1947. After completing the first term of college at Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, he worked at Cal Callow’s Feed Bag Co., Decatur. He worked at Koeneman Farm Equipment, Auburn, until he felt the call into the ministry. He was then given student pastoral appointments in Avilla and Teegarden while he completed his schooling. He received a bachelor’s degree from Manchester College and graduated from the Evangelical Theological Seminary, Naperville, Ill.
After seminary, he served churches in Indiana, including Teegarden, Tabor, Nappanee, Whiting, Logansport, Rensselaer and Auburn. While in Whiting, he received his master’s degree from Valparaiso University, graduating in June 1970, just as he began his ministry in Logansport. He officially retired from the ministry in Rensselaer in 1991, but served many interims after that.
His last ministerial duties included assisting Pastor Keith Schreffler at Main Street United Methodist Church, Logansport, with visitation of nursing homes and shut-in parishioners, until approximately three years ago. He organized and sang in the Cass County Men’s Chorus, and was responsible for and participated in a choir at Grace Village Retirement Center and the “Men of Grace” quartet, with his wife as accompanist. He directed and counseled camp for the mentally impaired at Epworth Forest, North Webster, for 17 years.
Surviving are four sons: M. John (and spouse Linda), Rockford, Ill.; Don Jr., Logansport; Benjamin Max (and spouse Deb) Clarklake, Mich.; and Timothy Louis (and spouse Bobbie), Stuart, Fla.; a daughter, Jane Ann (and spouse John) Goodrich, Logansport; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Velma (and spouse Merlyn) Crabill, Leo; a brother, Dean (and spouse Bonnie) Ruhl, Star City; a sister-in-law, Mary Beth Ruhl, Venice, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Enos, Ben, Mearvin and Gene; three sisters, Josephine Hesters, Olive Callow and Alta May Caston; a foster brother-in-law, Louis Noirot; and a daughter-in-law, Cara Beth Ruhl.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Main Street United Methodist Church, 19 E. Main St., Logansport, with the Revs. Tom DeFries and Keith Schreffler officiating. Burial will be at 4:30 p.m. EST in Newville Cemetery, east of Auburn.
Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Fisher Funeral Chapel, 1801 Chase Road, Logansport, and one hour prior to the service Thursday at the church.
***** Memorials may be made to U.M.C.O.R., United Methodist Committee on Relief or to the Camp RE-YO-AD at Epworth Forest, North Webster.
Condolences may be sent via www.fisherfuneralchapel.com
