Pauline Rueter

Pauline Catharine Thomas Rueter was welcomed to her heavenly home by her Lord on November 18, 2024 at age 100. She died at Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne. She was born on September 22, 1924, to Louis and Ella Thomas at their home in Columbus, Indiana. She was baptized at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on November 23, 1924. Pauline attended St. Peter’s Lutheran Elementary School in Columbus and Columbus High School. She graduated May of 1942.

Shortly after graduation, Pauline was married to Edward Rueter on September 26, 1942. Their first child Donald was born on her 19th birthday in 1943. In the years that followed, Mary, Martha, and John joined the family. They lived in Farmers Retreat, Indiana until 1962. Ed owned a hatchery and feed store in the nearby town of Dillsboro where Pauline served as bookkeeper. The entire family was active at St. John Lutheran Church where the children attended the parochial school. Most importantly, Pauline and Ed taught their children about our God who loves us and sent His only Son to live and die and rise for us. They both modeled that love in their lives.

Pauline and Ed’s family were close-knit and enjoyed many memorable times together. There were many wonderful visits to Pauline’s parents and brother in Columbus, precious times with Ed’s mother in Farmers Retreat, church activities, boating on the Ohio River, and camping vacations throughout the US and Canada. Ed trained with USDA in 1962, and because of his job assignments, the family moved to Brighton, Colorado in 1962, to Luverne, Minnesota in 1966 and to Westbrook, Minnesota in 1976. Pauline worked at the First Bank of Brighton, Brighton Federal Savings and Loan and at Luverne Federal Savings and Loan. Upon Ed’s retirement in 1980, Ed and Pauline volunteered for four winters with Habitat for Humanity and Lutheran World Ministries in Arizona and New Mexico. Ed was involved with construction while Pauline painted, cleaned, sewed curtains, worked at the local food banks, and organized a children’s library on an Indian reservation. They volunteered on the Hopi, Yavapai, and Pasqua Yaqui Indian Reservations.

Both Ed and Pauline were active at Grace Westbrook Church and Shetek Bible camp. After Ed’s sudden death in 1984, Pauline continued to be very active serving in leadership positions in the women’s organizations, reorganizing the church library after a devastating fire, designing and helping make many banners for the church, and serving on the Church Council. She also was chosen a volunteer of the year at Good Samaritan, Westbrook. 

Pauline was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Rueter; her parents, Louis and Ella Thomas; her brother, Robert Thomas; and a precious grandson. 

Pauline is lovingly remembered by her four children and their families: Donald and RoseAnn Rueter of Rancho Santa Margarita, California; Mary and Tom Buhrkuhl of Bourbon, Missouri; Martha and Gordon Fick of Magnolia, Minnesota; and John and Kathy Rueter of Rochester, Minnesota; her ten surviving grandchildren; twenty-six great-grandchildren; two great-great-granddaughters; and her sister-in-law Norma Thomas of Seymour, Indiana.