John Oscar Ruen went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 27, 2019. He was 83 years old.
John was born September 9, 1936, to Howard and Lyla Ruen in Ostrander, Minn. The family moved to Lanesboro in 1949 and John graduated from The Southern School of Agricultural in 1954. John joined the U.S. Air Force in the fall of 1954, was stationed in Waco, Tex., and served in Korea and Iwo Jima. In 1958 John married Janis Torgerson at Highland Lutheran Church; they celebrated 61 years of marriage this past June 13. They raised their family of five children on a beautiful dairy farm in Lanesboro, Minn. John was a beloved and longtime member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. He was also actively involved in the American Dairy Association, serving in multiple leadership positions.
In 1981 John moved his family to Anderson, Tex., to enter the energy industry. He worked the majority of the time as a heavy equipment operator and transitioned into maintenance for Texas Municipal Power Agency. John continued to farm and ranch on a part-time basis. In 2008 John was employed by Texas A & M. He had his grandson Jordan helping him remove the dairy program fencing, and he continued mowing pastures on the A&M campus until 2015. He was a member of the Lions Club in Iola and was very proud of being an active member at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, College Station serving as usher, greeter, reader, and attending Sunday School.
In 2015 John and Janis moved to Kerens, Tex., to be closer to family. They faithfully attended Sunday School and church at the Kerens First United Methodist Church while living there.
Most importantly John loved His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he lived his faith through example to his family, friends and all those around him.
John is survived by his devoted wife Janis Ruen, daughter Joyce (Dale) Crawford, son Joel (Becky) Ruen, daughter Julie (Michael) Nordman, son Jeff (Wendy) Ruen, and son Jason (April) Ruen. He was blessed with grandchildren including: Connor and Chelsea Crawford, Jordan, Stephen and Evan Ruen; Tyler, Joseph and Hannah Nordman; Hudson, Noah and Jax Ruen; Luke Fry, and Meagan Ruen. John, being the eldest of a large family, is also survived by his brothers Charles (the late Gloria) Ruen, Edward and Katie Ruen, Don (the late Mary) Ruen, and Jim Ruen and Wendy Wellnitz-Ruen, and his sister Joy (Lowell) Moen, along with beloved inlaws, numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. John was blessed with precious friends and neighbors throughout his life, to God be the Glory!
Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 24, 2019, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lanesboro. A Committal Service with Military Honors will be held on Monday, November 25, 2019, at 9 a.m. at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery – Preston.
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39