- Date Of Death: October 30, 2014
- State: Indiana
Joseph A. “Joe” Rueff, 85, of Goshen, passed away at 7:35 a.m. Oct. 30 at Greencroft Healthcare Center in Goshen from complications following an automobile accident. He was born in Chicago on May 26, 1929, to the late Joseph A. Sr. and Gladys (Oeffinger) Rueff. He later married Virginia “Jini” Thorburn in 1951 in Ames, Iowa. She preceded him in death in 2010.
Surviving are his daughter, Marcia (Richard) DeJesús-Rueff of Rochester, N.Y.; sons Michael (Elaine) Crauderueff of Havertown, Pa., Martin (Belita) Rueff of Overland Park, Kan., and Matthew (Mary) Rueff of Indianapolis; sister Katherine Thorpe of Seattle; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Joe was a graduate of DePauw University and received his master’s degree in education from Indiana University. He was an educator with the Elkhart Community School System for over 40 years, retiring in the early 1990s.
He was a member of the Indiana Council for Economic Education as well as several local organizations, including Kiwanis and Junto. He served as President of the Elkhart Urban League in the 1960s and assisted in establishing fair and open housing policies for Elkhart. He will be best remembered for his enthusiasm for education and social justice, as well as his deep love of family and friends.
