Charles Ruckh

Col. Charles W. Ruckh, 82, of Kansas City, Missouri, who had a distinguished career in the Kansas National Guard, passed away January 10, 2013 at 1:27 AM. The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Sunday January 13th at McGilley Antioch Chapel where a rosary will be prayed at 7:30 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM Monday, January 14th at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 4737 N Cleveland, Kansas City, MO 64117. The Rite of Committal will be at 1:00PM Monday at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, Kansas.

Charles, known as Charlie or Chuck by friends, grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, the son of Alfred C. Ruckh and Marie E. McDonald Ruckh. Colonel Ruckh began his military career as a private and was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1958. His 40 years of continuous service was in the National Guard, the Army Reserve, and on active duty in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Air Medal and Army Commendation award. He was a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, the War College and Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Colonel Ruckh was a member of the Kansas National Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Reserve Officers Association, the Military Order of World Wars and the Association of the U.S. Army.

In civilian life, Chuck was a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Maple Woods Community College and received his bachelor’s degree from Park University. He was superintendent at Commercial Lithograph Company in Kansas City where he worked for 43 years, and was a member of the Graphic Arts International Union, as well as the Northland Optimist Club. After retirement, Charles played golf, enjoyed weekend trips to the family ‘palace’ at the Lake of the Ozarks, and winter vacations in Arizona.

He is survived by his wife of (58) years, Helen Adamik Ruckh of the home; a son, Thomas Ruckh, his wife Chantel and their daughters, Megan and Kennedy of Kansas City, Missouri; daughter Susan Garnett and her husband John of Overland Park, Kansas and their children Libby and husband, Scott Evans, Jenn, and Andi Garnett, and great granddaughter, Maddison Evans, all of New Zealand; daughter Jackie Feurer and Gene Davidson of Independence, Missouri; and daughter, Sandy Ruckh of Kansas City, Missouri. Also surviving are two brothers, Bernard Ruckh and his wife Margaret of Overland Park, Kansas; Gene Ruckh and his wife Carol of San Marino, California; and a sister-in-law, Mary Moerer of Lake Waukomis, Missouri; and brother-in-law Clarence Hanson of Kansas City, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation (www.aamds.org) or the University of Kansas Cancer Center (www.kucancercenter.org)