Editor’s word: Each Monday, the Kenosha News takes a look at the life of a Kenosha County resident who later died. We percentage with you, thru the recollections of your own family and friends, a life remembered. When it came to the revitalizing of Kenosha, few may want to fit Don Ruef for enthusiasm. As alderman of District 9 from 1998 to 2010, Ruef backed new tasks from town museums to the trolley. “He was someone who virtually loved his community and might do whatever for it,” stated Mayor John Antaramian. “He desired to transport the metropolis forward: from a closed manufacturing facility town to wealthy metropolis again,” stated Alderman G. John Ruffolo.
Ruef’s family stated that he had a sturdy work ethic and critiques to match. “Even earlier than he was the alderman if there was a trouble he felt strongly approximately he went to City Hall and voiced his opinion,” stated his son, also named Donald.
He cared about the town as though it had been his personal baby,” Ruffolo said.
Donald J. Ruef, 87, of Kenosha, died peacefully Dec. 9. His survivors include his spouse, Carol Ruef; two sons, Donald (Susan) Torkelson and Chris (Theresa) Torkelson; sister, Donna Jean (Keith) Edmonds; brother, Duane (Mary) Ruef; eight grandchildren; and 12 extraordinary-grandchildren. He changed into preceded in dying by way of his brother, Daniel Ruef; a daughter, Joy Sconzert; and a grandson. Ruef turned into born in Monroe on Sept.15, 1930, the oldest baby of John and Rossie Ruef, who owned a farm. He attended local colleges and served years inside the Army in Japan all through the Korean War.
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After military service, Ruef got here to Kenosha to work as a driver for his uncle, who owned Petroleum Transport. He also worked for a while on the Kenosha Rambler plant. On Feb. 6, 1960, he married Carol Barnes of Kenosha, and they had 3 youngsters. For several years at some stage in the 1960s, Ruef worked at American Motors Corporation. In 1968, he gives up “the Motors” and purchased Sheridan Road Mobile Home Park and Sales, formerly owned by his in-laws.
Ruef multiplied his holdings to consist of a bar to the south of the park, in component so he should smooth it up, said his circle of relatives. “He made it clear it becomes an area to return for an informal drink and to fulfill pals,” Carol stated. Reflecting on this goal, they modified the bar’s name from Tappa Half-a-Keg-a-Day to the Classic Club Lounge.
It becomes at the same time as owning and coping with the 60-space park that Ruef’s hobby in town government first emerged. His son Don said his father frequently went down to the town corridor to speak about ordinances and issues pertinent to the cell home park.
Eventually, he “stuck the bug” to go into politics, said his son Chris.
In the early 1990s, Ruef offered the cellular domestic park and tavern to go into the political arena. “He didn’t want to very own a liquor license even as being a politician,” explained his spouse, Carol. Ruef misplaced his first bid for office in 1992, however in 1998 he became ushered in as alderman of District 9. “He received it using a landslide,” Don said.
His campaign method changed into to go door-to-door asking all of us what they desired in the district, stated Carol. “If he didn’t have an answer approximately something for a person, he determined it out.” Ruef’s sustained achievement in public office changed because of honesty, tough work, and tenacity stated colleagues. “If he cared approximately a problem, he lobbied for it day and night time,” Ruffolo said.
His handshake turned into his bond.” Ruef became relied on onamong his peers for knowing an awful lot of the history of metropolis ordinances, said Ruffolo. “He had great institutional knowledge.” Not most effective did Ruef champion many of Kenosha’s new improvement projects, but “he becomes very lively in issues of dealing with people and issues that they had,” mentioned Antaramian, who in his first series of mayoral phrases.
He did numerous listening earlier than he made up his mind,” Ruffolo said.
Ruef additionally loved sharing his town council life with his circle of relatives by inviting them to wait for Council conferences. “The five years with my grandpa have been spent going to council conferences with him,” said granddaughter Jessica Bell. Being a public servant suited her husband, stated Carol. “It gave him a feeling of motive.” Ruef championed Kenosha’s museums’ established order, the trolley, and the smoking ban in public buildings. He turned into an additionally seasoned casino.
“He became a rock,” said the mayor. “He did what he notion changed into right; he may have stuck some political grief for it, but he usually defined why he did what he did.” Not noticeably, Ruef especially enjoyed his tenure on the City Plan Commission. “He appreciated it because he got the hazard to exchange the town, in his opinion, for exact,” Jessica stated.
