Irene Anne (de Uriarte) Ruga

Irene Anne Ruga passed away on April 7, 2024. Born September 9, 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri, she was the second daughter of Ignacio M. de Uriarte and Guadalupe (Gomez) de Uriarte. The loving family resided in Mexico City, Missouri.

Irene graduated from St. Brendan High School in 1948. In 1949 she earned her Private Pilot’s license and enjoyed flying a Piper PA-17. She met her husband William (“Bill”) while attending the University of Missouri in Columbia. Irene was also employed as a secretary in the Wildlife Research Unit Department of Zoology.

Irene and Bill were married on September 1, 1951. They lived in Columbia, Missouri and Marion, Ohio. In 1958 they moved to Allegan, Michigan where they lived for over 60 years of their 69 years of marriage.

Irene was a devoted mother to their five children, yet still found time to help with the family poultry business. Additionally, she would often work with Bill at his feed mill in Allegan. Later, she returned to college, paying her way, by rising at five a.m. to deliver crates of eggs to Kalamazoo.

Irene graduated cum laude from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in April of 1970. She taught for 15 years in Allegan Public Schools and thoroughly enjoyed her time teaching second and sixth graders. Science was her passion, and she spent many hours developing science experiments. Her love for her students did not end with the school year. She maintained relationships with several students until the day she died.

After retiring, Irene stayed involved with her community. She volunteered as a literacy tutor and was a helper at the Wings of Hope Hospice Home. Irene was an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. She was involved with her Circle, visited the sick and was a Eucharistic Minister. She spent many hours working on the church bazaar, either making pies or craft items to sell. Bill referred to her as “the eternal Good Samaritan”. Irene was a member of the Council of Catholic Women and later became President. She enjoyed traveling to the conventions and participating as a speaker. Irene was a devout Catholic and her children were educated at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School until it was closed.

Irene believed in staying healthy and physical fitness. She taught President Kennedy’s youth fitness to Blessed Sacrament students in the sixties. Irene and Bill danced together in their later years, first, square dancing and then travelling around western Michigan to go ballroom dancing. At weddings, they were often the longest married couple left on the dance floor. At age 72, she outdid her younger relatives at a family reunion in Estes Park, Colorado, hiking at twelve thousand feet up a steep mountain trail. Irene maintained physical fitness through her nineties, hiking with her walker in Arizona and enjoying chair Zumba classes at Park Place Senior Living in Fort Wayne.

Irene’s hobbies included sewing, cooking and exercising. She was an avid reader. She loved reading books about history and family relationships. Irene spent many hours sewing matching clothing for her four young daughters. Irene and Bill enjoyed their lake cottage. She could clean a fish like no one else and then prepared them for a delicious dinner. All of the grandchildren spent many days with her at the cottage. She was a fun and active grandma. If she wasn’t outside riding bikes or taking walks, she was in the paddle boat or the rowboat fishing with them. She loved the American Girl Dolls and instilled a love of history and imaginative play with her granddaughters and great granddaughters.  She was a very involved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt. She attended hundreds of sporting and/or school events to cheer on her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She faithfully sent birthday and holiday cards to her extended family and friends.

Irene was very social. She and Bill hosted dinners and bridge clubs in their early years, traveled across the country and to Mexico to visit her relatives. In Arizona, Irene joined in many activities and at Park Place she enjoyed game nights, talking with her friends and sent birthday cards to her fellow residents.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Barbara A. Ruga and Gary Noble of Mesa, Arizona, Cynthia and Karl Hermanson of Lapeer, Michigan, Earl Taylor, son-in-law, of Conway, South Carolina, Mary and Robert Young of Auburn, Indiana, William and Sally (Whitney) Ruga of Allegan, Michigan; 10 grandchildren, Brian, Betsey, Erica, Sarah, Justin, Ben, Andy, Amy, Emma and Evan; 16 great-grandchildren, Kelsey, Gabi, Daniel, Bryce, Russel, William, Cole, Nash, Will, Cooper, Ryker, Mia, Jack, Mackenzie, Anna and Joey; younger brothers, Raymond Uriarte of Homosassa, Florida, and Thomas de Uriarte of Dayton, Nevada; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Along with her parents, Irene was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William Joseph Ruga; daughter, Teresa Rose Taylor; sister, Isabel Kong; and great-grandson, Alexander Justus Etheridge.

The family will receive family and friends at Gorden Funeral Residence, Allegan Chapel, on Sunday, April 14, 2024 from 5-6 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. with the Reverend Father Simon Manjooran officiating. Interment will take place at Blessed Sacrament Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wings of Hope Hospice Home, 530 Linn Street, Allegan, MI 49010.

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