Woodrow Ruten

In Loving Memory

Woodrow Ruten

Memorial Service

Thursday, December 21st

2:00 p.m.

Crossroads Bible Church

Spalding SK

Woodrow David Ruten aged 66,of Spalding, Sk. went peacefully to be with his Heavenly Father on December 14, 2017 He had come through a successful orthopedic surgery and had been back home enjoying his own bed in Spalding for almost a week.

Woody was born April 1, 1951 in Jos, Nigeria to missionary parents Iver and Myrna Ruten and spent his early life in Burkina Faso. He moved to Canada to finish High School and attend university where he obtained a B.Ed degree. On August 11, 1973 he married Priscilla Ruten (nee Epp). They both taught school at Wollaston Lake for about 5 years, after which Woody changed course, went to seminary and became a pastor with the Alliance Church. He and Priscilla served at Steinbach Alliance church for 3 years and then in 1988 moved to The Pas and served with the Alliance Church there for over 25 years. Soon after they made the move to Nipawin to serve as transitional pastor, both Woody and Priscilla were diagnosed with cancer within 3 weeks of each other. Woody was such an example to our family throughout this period of uncertainty and illness of a calm trust in God’s purposes for his and Priscilla’s life, not once complaining. Through colon cancer, open heart surgery, pacemaker placement and knee replacement surgery he soldiered on. After Priscilla died, Woody served at Fort Qu’appelle Alliance briefly. In his retirement Woody continued to do what he had always done and that was to quietly pour himself into the lives of people helping them grow in their spiritual walk with Christ. Relationships were one of the passions of Woody’s life; none more important than his relationship with Jesus.  Along the way he enjoyed life. He loved travelling especially with Loy and Carla, he loved taking people out to dinner, he enjoyed Friday coffee times with the uncles, he enjoyed reading and studying and teaching and learning, (for over 25 years he took a class at Regent College every summer holiday)  In these last 10 months he experienced the delights of a special relationship and new love- Carol. Our family cannot thank-you enough Carol for the love and joy you brought into Woody’s life  If it hadn’t been for his painful knees, one could say you put a bounce in his steps!  You already know how we all want to adopt you into the family.

Woody was predeceased by his parents and parents-in-law, his wife Priscilla on August 16, 2014,  his brother Doug on November 13, 2017. He is survived by his fiancée Carol Mitchell, his siblings Mary Hermanson (Reg), Paul (Leona), Stephen (Betty), Timothy (Lorraine) his sister in law Nancy Motts (Geoff) and brother in law Dennis Epp .and many nephews and nieces.

A celebration of Woody’s life will be held on Thursday December 21, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.at Crossroads Bible Church Spalding, Sk. with Rev Brian Unger officiating.  Memorial donations may be made to Crossroads Bible Church.  Online condolences may be made at www.tompkinsfuneral.com.  Tompkins Funeral Home Wadena, Sk. 306-338-3638 are in charge of arrangements.

“ To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever! “ Revelation 5:13