LouElla Mae Eystad

Funeral services for LouElla Mae (Ruff) Eystad of Donnelly, MN will be held Monday, October 31, 2022 at 10 AM at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Morris. Pastor Michael Hanson will be officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be held at a later date at Frog Lake Cemetery, rural Alberta.

LouElla Mae (Ruff) Eystad, daughter of Gregory and Delia (Alm) Ruff, was born on April 10, 1935 in Donnelly, MN.  Lou attended Donnelly Grade School, Alberta and Morris Public School graduating in 1953. Prior to graduation from high school, Lou met the love of her life, James Eystad and married him on January 17, 1954 in Pittsburg, CA. Following marriage, they moved to Albuquerque, NM where Lou worked at the Woolworth Store. In 1956, they moved to Antioch, CA where they lived for 35 years. In 1991, after retiring, they moved back to Minnesota and lived on Red Rock Lake and also in Donnelly.  

Lou’s favorite pastimes were cooking, taking care of her dogs, crossword puzzles, and tending to her flower garden. She loved her lake home and especially enjoyed the many summers when John and his family would visit. 4 generations of Ruffs under one roof. Lou and Jim were given the Pay It Forward Award in 2014 for their many tireless hours of contributions made to the Morris community. They volunteered at the Salvation Army, ARC, Meals on Wheels, St. John’s Church, Good Shepherd Church, NAPS Program and Morris Senior Center. Lou and Jim also liked to make time to stop and visit with everyone.  They made many trips to the Villa of St. Francis, the hospital and hospice in Morris. Their red Cadillac with the 2 LOONS license plate could always be spotted around Morris.

Lou passed away Monday, October 24, 2022 at Barrett Care Center. She was 87 years old.

She is survived by brother John Ruff of Denison, TX and four nieces: Debbie (Craig) Gocke, Sheryl Thornton, Shawna Ruff, and Robin (Daniel) Bushman; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and great-great-nieces and a great-great-nephew; numerous cousins; her “adopted daughters": Rita Kaiser and Colleen Dogotch, and their husbands: Pete Kaiser and Tom Dogotch; and a special “granddaughter”: Karina Johnson. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 67 years, James August Eystad; her parents; brother: Duane Ruff; sister-in-law: Eileen Ruff; sister-in-law: Shirley Dryden; and sister-in-law: Betty Eckhart.

The family would especially like to thank the staff and residents at the Barrett Care Center who took such good care of Lou.  Also thank you to the Doctors and Nurses at Stevens Community Medical Center, Prairie Ridge Hospital and Knute Nelson.

Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Morris, MN.