Joseph "Joe" Rueter

Joseph B. “Joe” Rueter, age 89 of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at the CentraCare Hospital in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday, October 28 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Monday at the church.

Joseph Benedict Rueter was born March 15, 1935 in Freeport, Minnesota to Ben and Eleanore (Hoeschen) Rueter. He graduated from Melrose High School and then completed trade school. On September 10, 1960 Joe married Janet “Jan” Toenyes at St. Mary's Cathedral in St. Cloud. The couple lived in St. Cloud where Joe was a foreman for Conlon Construction. When they moved to Freeport, Joe worked at Hennen Lumber and then owned and operated Rueter’s Bait Shop. In 2008, Joe retired and the couple moved to Sauk Centre.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, served as chairman of T & L Credit Union in St. Cloud, and volunteered many hours for the church. Joe enjoyed fishing, woodworking, gardening, playing cards, traveling, refurbishing rods and reels, and building fish houses. 

Survivors include his children, Geri (Karl) Meyer of Melrose, Sharon (Leslie) Rueter of Nebraska, and Carolyn (Mike) Messer of Sauk Centre; grandchildren, Megan Droogsma, Christopher Meyer, and Kim Johnson, and Evan and Owen Messer; great-grandson, Theo Droogsma; and sisters, Bernadette Ritter, and Rosemary Ardoin.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Jan Rueter on January 23, 2012; parents; infant daughter, Kathleen Rueter; infant son, Brian Rueter; brothers and sisters, Rita Blommel, Clarence Rueter, Julius Rueter, Benedict Rueter, and Juliana Hollerman.