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Patrick G Ruecker

Patrick G Ruecker

MARQUETTE, MI – Patrick G. Ruecker, 92, of Marquette, passed away Friday morning, November 30, 2018 at Tender Hearts Assisted Living in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Pat was born on March 28, 1926 in Marquette to the late Otto and Josephine (O’Leary) Ruecker and was a lifelong area resident.

He married the former Joan M. Griffin on October 13, 1951 at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette.

Pat retired in 1989 as president of the Marquette Catholic Credit Union. Pat lived a long and full life that included a half century of credit union service. He was one of the pioneers of the credit union movement in the U.P. and in Michigan. He shared his passion for credit unions with great character, integrity and wit, had a huge heart and loved to make people laugh. Pat served his credit union, the Upper Peninsula Chapter and the Michigan Credit Union League first as a paid executive of the credit union for 26 years, then as a consummate volunteer board member for another 21 years.

In 1988, Pat received the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) U.P. Chapter Person of the Year Award. In 1993, he received the MCUL’s highest recognition when he received the Distinguished Service Award and was also inducted into its Hall of Fame. In 2002, Pat again received the MCUL U.P. Chapter Person of the Year Award. For 20 years Pat served on the MCUL Board of Directors and as Trustee of the Pension Plan for credit union employees

He was a member of St. Peter Cathedral, serving as an usher and on the administration committee.

Pat was also very involved in the Elks Lodge and the Knights of Columbus.

Later in life he began a new hobby which involved making beautiful creations out of wood. He honed his skills by attending classes at Northern Michigan University. He made numerous items including desks, benches, carving boards, bird houses and many other items. He was most proud of the variety of ducks he could carve and, often, even sold them! Many of the woodworking projects, such as doll cradles and rocking horses, were donated to local children through a variety of charities.

Pat is survived by his daughters, Lynn Wilson of Shoreview, MN and Cindy (Roger) Grueneberg of Green Bay; grandchildren, Alyssa (Tyler) Lowry, Perrin & Sylena Wilson, Jocelyn (Ben) Ehlert and Jonathan Grueneberg. He also had three great-grandchildren Dean Lowry, Claire and Devin Ehlert.

Besides his parents, Pat was preceded in death by his wife, Joan, on November 14, 2014 and his siblings, Robert Ruecker and Lucille Asp. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 4 from 4p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home where a parish vigil will be recited at 6:15 p.m. Pat’s family will also greet relatives and friends on Wednesday, December 5 from 11a.m. until 12p.m. in the Bishop’s Room at St. Peter Cathedral with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 12p.m. with the Rev. Msgr. Michael Steber officiating. Entombment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum.

Pat loved Marquette and was always eager to return to his beloved city on the shores of Lake Superior. You are home, dad.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1893, Memphis, TN 38101-9950

The Canale-Tonella Funeral Home is assisting the family. Memories may be shared at canalefuneral.com