Lloyd Fred Ruesch

Former Grants Pass resident, Lloyd Fred Ruesch, age 94, of Springfield, Oregon died Saturday, June 25, 2011 at McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield.

A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Grants Pass with Pastor Cyril Hunkler officiating. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church, 909 NE A Street, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526.

Lloyd was born August 31, 1916 in Medford, Wisconsin to Ernest & Gena Ruesch, the 2nd of four children. Following graduation from Medford High School in 1934, Lloyd worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. He graduated from Minneapolis Business College in 1940 with an accounting degree. From 1943 to 1946 Lloyd served in the United States Navy and was stationed in the Pacific and Okinawa. He was a proud member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.

Lloyd met his future wife, Mae Hammer while working at Ed Phillips & Sons in Minneapolis. They were married on March 8, 1945 at Richfield Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. In 1948 they moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin where they raised their family and lived for 24 years. While in Eau Claire, Lloyd founded the first nationwide catalog for Ed Phillips & Sons and was involved in many community activities including being a trustee at Grace Lutheran Church; president of the career development center training the handicapped for community service; Boy Scouts; YMCA; United Way; President’s Club for the local university; and Chamber of Commerce.

In 1972 Lloyd & Mae moved to Denver, Colorado when Lloyd accepted the position of president of LaBelle’s Catalog Showrooms and eventually became general manager of the Rocky Mountain Region of Modern Merchandising.

In 1983 Lloyd & Mae retired to Grants Pass, Oregon where they lived for 25 years until Lloyd moved to Eugene, Oregon following Mae’s death in 2008.

Lloyd was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church. He especially enjoyed being with friends and family and attending his grandchildren’s dance, track, and cross-country meets. He loved to tease and was known for his quick wit and one-liners. He was a loving father and husband and an astute businessman who always treated everyone with respect, generosity, and kindness. His hobbies included lawn bowling; working in his yard on his Kubota tractor; cheering for the Green Bay Packers; playing dominoes, playing card games of any kind; and was a master of the game of Aggravation.

Survivors include two daughters, Kathleen Carlson and husband Don of Redmond, Oregon and Carol Johnson and husband, Mark of Eugene, Oregon; a sister, Marion Merwin of West Bend, Wisconsin; five grandchildren, Jenna Jenkins and husband, Rick of Camas, Washington, Tara Wikstrom and husband, Eric of Bainbridge Island, Washington, Krista Morical and husband, Mark of Bend, Oregon, Kirsten Williams and husband, Andrew of Eugene, Oregon and Kyle Johnson of Eugene, Oregon; ten great-grandchildren, Emma Jenkins, Halle Jenkins, Evan Jenkins, Maci Jenkins, Olivia Wikstrom, Lucas Wikstrom, Kate Wikstrom, Henry Wikstrom, Mason Morical and Miley Morical; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mae; his brother, Warren Ruesch; and a sister, Frances Merwin.