Le Mars, Iowa – Larry Ruhland, 85, of Le Mars, Iowa passed away on Sunday, September 26, 2021 at his home following a brief illness. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at All Saints Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Church in Le Mars. Father Bruce Lawler will celebrate Mass. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Military honors will be conducted by Wasmer Post #241 of the American Legion. Visitation will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at St. Joseph Church. The family will be present from 5 – 7 p.m. with a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 6:00 p.m. followed by a 4th Degree Chalice Service and a Scriptural Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to Mass on Thursday.
Lawrence Hubert Ruhland was born on December 16, 1935 in Le Mars, Iowa to Benedict and Leona (Kemp) Ruhland. He graduated from Union Consolidated High School in 1954. Larry was a member of the Army National Guard.
Larry and Mary Margaret Van Goor were united in marriage on April 24, 1957 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Le Mars. Together they raised their five children. He was a farmer and after retirement he drove the bus for Siouxland Regional Transit. Mary Margaret passed away on September 12, 1999. On November 11, 2000, Larry married Dorothy Gollhofer Kessenich at St. James Catholic Church in Le Mars. She preceded him in death on January 21, 2021.
He was a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Neptune, Iowa and then joined All Saints Parish in Le Mars. Larry was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He served on the Gehlen Catholic School board. Larry spent countless hours woodworking and making bird houses, Adirondack chairs, nativity scenes, barns and toy boxes, as well as numerous projects for Gehlen Catholic School and Gaurdian Angel Pre-School and Daycare. He devotedly attended adoration at his church. Larry made several thousand rosaries for his family and friends and Gehlen Catholic Mission Honduras.
Larry loved going to all of his grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s ball games and other special events. He loved getting together and hosting his “Holy Hour” group and looked forward to morning Mass and coffee and/or breakfast with the guys. He loved sharing “flu shots” with his family and anyone else who would take one. Larry had a Sunflower Contest for the grandkids and great-grandkids and he planned a Grandpa Camp that all the kids loved and looked forward to.
Larry will be lovingly remembered by his children, Laurie (Joe) Tomasek, Omaha, NE; Kelli (Mike) Langel, Le Mars, IA ; Lisa (Randy) Freking, Le Mars, IA; Curt Ruhland, Greeley, CO; and Jenni (Shawn) Vacura, Le Mars, IA; Dorothy’s children, Mike Kessenich, Le Mars, IA and Connie (Tim) Tietz, Omaha, Ne; his grandchildren, Joey (Sam) Tomasek, Bret (Brandy) Tomasek, Kaitlyn (Justin) Collins, all of Omaha, NE; Jill (Drew) West, Adel, IA, Tim (Julie) Langel, Melissa (Jeremy) Galles, Robb (Kelsey) Langel all of Le Mars, IA; Jake (Ali) Freking, Justin (Allie) Freking, Stacie (Keith) MacRae, Sadie (Dustan Kneip) Freking, all of Le Mars, IA; Bre (James) Langel, Littleton, CO, Austin (Jenny) Ruhland, Fort Collins, CO, Kirstie (Eleanor Poe) Ruhland, Long Beach, CA; Bergen, Zoe and Libby Vacura all of Le Mars, IA; Dorothy’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Scott (Nichole) Zittritsch and Thayer, Cohen, Theodore and Gus; Eric (Sara) Tietz and Michael and Alexander; Kaleb Tietz and Jessica Tietz; his great-grandchildren, Kenadee, Zella, Everly, Maelyn, Presley, Zia, Zayda, Brooks, Eden, Silas, Trigg, Lenore, Theodore, Stella, Davin, Will, Cruz, Kashton, Beckett, Zhara, Nash, Viviana, Hattie, Benedict, Grace, Ruthie, Owen, Sophie and 2 on the way; his brothers, Glen (Alice) Ruhland, Le Mars, IA; Danny (Joyce Ricke) Ruhland, Remsen, IA; sisters, LaVonne (Tom Augustine) Loutsch, Remsen, IA; Mary Lee (Don) Neubrand, Le Mars, IA; and a sister-in-law, Ellen Ruhland, Remsen, IA.
Larry was preceded in death by his wives, Mary Margaret and Dorothy; his parents; in-laws, Leon and Dorothy Van Goor; brother, Ronnie Ruhland; brother-in-law, Paul Loutsch and sister-in-law, Charlene Ruhland.
Memorials may be directed to Gehlen Catholic Schools.