Thomas Ray Ruble was born on March 10, 1944, in Great Bend, Kan. and took his final earthly breath on June 1, 2022, at the age of 78, in Houston, Texas. Tom met the love of his life, Mary Lou, while bowling at the Lucky Strike Bowling Alley in Great Bend and his stubbornness and persistence paid off when she finally said yes to marriage: he only had to ask her three times. They were joyfully married on April 17, 1970, and they built a life filled with love, adventure, shenanigans, and most of all, joy. Tom and Mary Lou raised three intelligent, compassionate, beautiful daughters, Kristi, Angela, and Amanda, while living in Great Bend. Tom worked at Gibson Titus in Stafford, Kan., Dick’s Oilfield Construction, Northern Natural Gas, Straub International, and finally at Weller Tractor Salvage where he retired in 2014. There wasn’t a hobby that Tom did not dabble in throughout his life - fishing, golfing, drag racing, hunting, archery, boating, camping, bowling, wood working, building golf clubs, tailgating. He had a curious mind and able hands that liked to tinker, and truly was a kid at heart.
After retirement Tom and Mary Lou moved to Houston, Texas to be closer to their daughters and to be active influencers in the lives of their grandchildren: Trey and Emaline. Tom delighted in playing with his grandchildren, whether it was building legos, baking cookies, or playing Mario Cart on the Wii. He enjoyed having tea parties with Emaline and always gave into her request of being “fancy.” Watching Trey play baseball brought him such joy and he always made sure that the umpires knew when he thought that they blew a call on the field. Tom enjoyed the simple moments of being with his family - sitting poolside at the resort in Mexico, cuddling with his grand-pups on the couch while he played on his tablet, watching sports on TV with his family, and even playing card games he didn’t enjoy because others always “cheated.” That was just who he was: a man who showed up in the moments that mattered to the people who mattered most to him.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; three daughters, Kristi Ruble, Angela Ruble, and Amanda Horton and her husband BJ; two grandchildren, Trey and Emaline; four grand-pups, Bentley, Jasper, Stafford, and Ruby Sue; and four siblings, Henry Ruble, Ellen Shanteau, Gerri Carper, and Mark Ruble. He is also survived by a lifetime of extended family and close friends, who he cherished and loved dearly.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 9, 2022, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Klein Funeral Home located at 1400 West Main Street in Tomball, Texas with the funeral services following at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Klein Memorial Park located at 32509 Highway 249, Pinehurst, TX 77362. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Tom’s memory and donations can be mailed to Houston Federal Credit Union located at 21550 State Highway 249, Houston, TX 77070. An online memorial is available at www.kleinfh.com.
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 8, 2022
