Ralph Duane Rudrud

Ralph Duane Rudrud age 89, died in Fargo, North Dakota on Thursday, January 29, 2015.

Ralph ‘Dutch’ Rudrud was born March 25, 1925 in Hillsboro, North Dakota, the son of Ralph J. and Mabel (Monson) Rudrud. He attended Hillsboro High School where he played drums in the school band. It was there that he began a lifelong love of history, music and the arts.

After graduating from high school, Ralph served in the U.S. Seventh Army headquarters in World War II from March 1943 to May 1946. On March 13, 1946, he was awarded the Bronze Star for exceptional meritorious service in direct support of combat operations in France and Germany. He was honorably discharged in May of 1946.

Ralph enrolled at the University of North Dakota (UND) where he was actively involved as a drummer in the UND marching band, a member and president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity and business manager of the 1950 DACOTAH. He met many good friends at UND and the school always held a special place in his heart. Ralph met and married his college sweetheart (and UND Homecoming Queen) Carol Anderson from Penn, ND on August 1, 1950.

Ralph and Carol moved to Fargo where Ralph followed in his father’s footsteps and began a career in the insurance business. To Rudrud, insurance was integral to building a community. He believed that the work he did ensured that the dream that his clients had invested in (their business, their home, their practice) would continue into the future. In 1960, Ralph joined Baker Insurance where he spent the rest of his career, becoming its president in 1977. He retired in 1992 and continued to work as a consultant to Baker until its sale in 1998.

Ralph believed in the power of community and giving back. He always appreciated what Fargo gave to his family and spent much of his time working with groups and organizations that reflected that gratitude.

He joined the Board of the Fargo Moorhead Community Theater and served as the organization’s president from 1966 to 1968, the years when the Emma K. Herbst Playhouse was build in Island Park. In subsequent years, Ralph served on the board (and as president in 1979) of the F-M Symphony Orchestra. In a 1985 magazine article, Ralph was quoted as saying, “What I can contribute to the arts is what I’ve learned as businessman. I’m not going to tell them how to direct the plays or conduct the symphony, but I’ve enjoyed being able to help make it possible for others to perform. That’s what makes Fargo the great town it is to live in.”

Ralph also served as member of the Fargo Planning Commission and the Chamber of Commerce’s Forward Fargo Committee.

First Lutheran Church was an important part of Ralph’s life. He served as President of the congregation, a member of the architectural committee and on the call committee. Ralph and Carol were recognized as charter members and Bridge Builders of the First Lutheran Church Foundation of Fargo. Ralph also played a pivotal role in raising capital for the building of the First Lutheran Celebration Center.

He was a member and president of the Fargo Kiwanis Club, a member of Elks Club, the Sons of Norway and mentored many young men in the Kiwanis Key Club.

Ralph loved to play golf and was a proud member of the ‘Norwegian Legion’ a group of golfers who played together. The group included their wives who joined them on Thursday nights for dinner at the Fargo Country Club. This group became lifelong friends and celebrated the weddings of each of their children by throwing a ‘Norwegian Trunk Shower’ and presenting the couple with a beautifully rosemaled trunk.

Ralph was a downhill snow skier, who had great times with family and friends skiing some of the best slopes in the US and even a couple in Europe. In 2005—at the age of 80—he proudly skied his last run at the end of an annual family ski trip to Big Sky.

Ralph and Carol spent many summers at their cabin on Lake Melissa where Ralph enjoyed golfing on Saturdays with friends, sailing, and nurturing his flowers and tomato plants.

After his retirement, Ralph and Carol spent a few months a year at the San Destin Hilton, where they forged many new friendships with people from all over the United States. Both Ralph and Carol looked forward to walking on the beach, visiting with new and old friends at the morning brunch or just sitting on the balcony watching the sunset.

Ralph loved to travel. In 1978, he and Carol drove through France, Germany and Switzerland, seeing all the places that Ralph had been during WWII. Together they visited their ancestral country, Norway, as well as most all the capitals of Europe. They traveled to China and cruised South America and around Cape Horn.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carol Rudrud, Fargo; his daughters, Judy (Ken) Rudrud Kadash, Edina, MN, Kristin Rudrud, Fargo, ND and Jane (Arnie) Gregory, Edina, MN; his grandchildren Cora Joe Anderson, Ithaca, NY. Jack Gregory, Edina MN and Anna Gregory, Edina, MN; his brother, Merlin (Beverly) Rudrud, Bismarck, ND and sister, Susan Simons, Grand Forks, ND; his nephews John Rudrud, Minneapolis, MN, Paul Rudrud, Rochester, MN. Rob Simons, Grand Forks, ND. Jeff Simons, Phoenix, AZ.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph John Rudrud and Mabel (Monson) Rudrud; his stepmother Myrtle Rudrud (Jahr); and his nephew Bruce Rudrud.

Memorial contributions in Ralph’s name are welcome at First Lutheran Church Foundation, 619 N. Broadway, Fargo, ND 58102, or Nokomis Child Care Center, c/o Village Family Service Center, 1201 25th St. S., P.O. Box 9859, Fargo, ND 58106.

A special thank you to everyone at Sanford Palliative Care who cared for Ralph with such great compassion and comfort to all of us during the last weeks of his life.