Earl E.A. Ruff

Earl Edwin Arnold Ruff, age 83, of Alma died Thursday, September 17, 2015 at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Wabasha. Earl was born September 11, 1932 in the Town of Alma, in Buffalo County, Wisconsin to Emil and Mary (Eberle) Ruff. Mary passed away within a few weeks of Earl’s birth, and he went to live with Theodore and Alice Kreibich. Earl was baptized at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cream, Wisconsin, on January 29, 1933, and was confirmed at Zion on July 8, 1945. He was a lifetime member of Zion up until the last day of dedication before closing in 2012. He attended and graduated from Alma High School. Earl was united in marriage to Dorothy Mae Loesel on October 21, 1950. To this union two children were born. Dorothy preceded Earl in death on July 19, 1997. He was employed by the Alma Dairy and then they moved to Winona where he worked for the Winona Milk Company and then Doerer’s Oil Company. Upon the death of his sister, they moved to Alma on the family farm. Later they purchased and ran the Herold Store while Earl also drove school bus. He then worked for the Buffalo County Highway Department for 35 years. After retirement Earl kept busy as a volunteer driver, as well as delivering flowers and parts for NAPA. He really enjoyed talking with people and making them laugh. In his youth Earl played the tuba for the Rodney Ristow Band and the Art King Bands. This led to a lifetime love of dancing to live bands, especially if they had a tuba. He had a special friend, Janice Larson, who accompanied him. He loved his family who included daughter, Sandra (Charles) Dahm, and son, Lonnie (Deborah) Ruff and his five grandchildren, Jonathan (Christine) Dahm; Michael (Jillian) Dahm; and Nathan Dahm; Rebecca (Greg) Rademacher; and Danielle (Kevin) Rotering. He is also survived by six great grandchildren, Cale, Mason and Rosie Rotering; Wyatt and Gavin Rademacher, and Greyson Dahm, as well as his sister-in-law, Arlene Ruff. Also his special neighbor, Ann Becker, who was always there for him. Earl was preceded in death by the love-of-his life, his wife, Dorothy; as well as his parents; brothers, Herbert, Harvey and Gaylord; and sisters, Dorothy Ottinger, Selina Ziechert and Delores Reidt. A funeral service will be held on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 1:00 PM at St. Michael’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Fountain City with Pastor Paul Janson officiating. Visitation will be held on Monday from 10:00 AM until the hour of the funeral service all at the church. Committal services will be held on Tuesday, September 22 at 1:30 PM at Buffalo City Cemetery, Buffalo City, WI.