Darlene E. Ruff

Darlene E. Ruff, 83, lifelong Ruff and Moses Lake resident passed away Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010 at Samaritan Hospital. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church, 1142 W. Ivy, Moses Lake with Pastor Dale Novasky officiating. Interment will follow at Guarding Angels Cemetery, 2595 Road L. N.E., Moses Lake. Viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 8th at Kayser's Chapel. Darlene was born on February 4, 1927 in Ruff, Washington where she attended a one-room schoolhouse. She was married to Rueben Harold Ruff on August 21, 1949 at the Ruff Congregational Church. They continued to live and farm in Ruff for many years. They later purchased other farm land twelve miles northeast of Moses Lake, where they lived and farmed for the next 35 years. Following retirement they moved into Moses Lake. She was a former member and served as a deacon of the Pilgrim Congregational Church and the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church, past member of the Lakeview Missionary Church and currently attending the Evangelical Methodist Church. Darlene worked as a clerk for Sears Catalog Store for 17 years. She also drove school bus for the Moses Lake School district for 14 years prior to working for Sears. She is survived by two daughters, Ruby Keenan of Othello and Connie Kast of Moses Lake; Three grandchildren, Lana (Felipe) Keenan-Martinez, Kasey Allen Kast and Desiree (Spc. Scott) Sunford; two great-grandchildren, Madison Martinez and Maddox Martinez; two brothers-in-law, Robert Ruff and Edwin Ruff, both of Moses Lake; along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mom, Lena Ohlson and step-sister Doris Huffman; two sons-in-law, Keith Kast and George Keenan; and two grandchildren, Echo Marie Kast and Kyle Kelly Keenan. Darlene was well liked and a loved woman in the community. She was a joy to her numerous grandkids and great-grandkids. She enjoyed embroidering, crocheting, and often entered baked goods at the Grant County Fair where she was a judge for many years. She was well known for her plates of Christmas cookies, crafts and needlework. All of her grandchildren and one great-grandchild have special quilts made by their grandma, along with special afghans and Christmas socks. Memorial contributions may be made to the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, PO Box 1337, Moses Lake, WA 98837.

Darlene E. Ruff

February 4, 1927 - November 4, 2010