Mary Elizabeth (Eccles) Rueter passed away October 6, 2022, at home in Madras, Oregon in the company of loving family members. She was 97 years old. She was preceded in death by
her husband William “Bill” Rueter, Jr., in 1999 and younger brother, David Earl Eccles, in 2017. She is survived by her six children, Helene Sterr of Kent, Washington, Larry Rueter of
Karamea, New Zealand, Paul Rueter of Madras, Tom Rueter of Anchorage, Alaska, Eric Rueter of Sainte-Terre, France and Jack Rueter of Helsinki, Finland – as well as 15
grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. Born in Kent, Washington July 24,1925 to John Lyman Eccles and Nancy Jane (Scott) Eccles,
Mary grew up on a farm in Medical Lake, Washington where she graduated from high school in 1941. At 19, she graduated from the nearby Eastern Washington College of Education at
Cheney (now Eastern Washington University), taught elementary school for one year in Lake Stevens, Washington, and subsequently worked on a Master’s Degree in chemistry from the
University of Washington. It was at the University of Washington that she met and, in 1947, married William “Bill” Rueter, Jr., a returning WWII veteran. Together, they raised six children in Kent,
Washington. Locally known for their out-of-door activities, the family was featured with a photo of them camping in the Cascade Mountains, on the cover of phone books around
Washington State in 1965. She was a well-known leader in Scouting and 4H in Kent, Washington where she and her husband Bill raised their children on the “R” Farm. With their
children, they both became active in 4H, Scouting For her decades of service to Cub Scouting as a Den Mother and adult Scout leader trainer, she was recognized with the Silver Beaver
medal, awarded for “exceptional character and distinguished service to Scouting”. Later, they were also the American Field Service and Kent-Kaibara sister city exchange programs.
A very hard-working individual, she took it upon herself, up until her 96th year, to hand-feed the orphaned lambs that her son Paul’s ewes could not feed. She said she could have easily
been a “perpetual student” but wanted to have a family, partly influenced by the loss of her mother (and several other relatives) to tuberculosis when she was just 5-1/2 years old. So
family came first. She loved music, reading, and developed a passion for tracking down her and her children’s ancestors and their stories. Until recently, Mary held positions of responsibility in the local Family Finders genealogical society as well as Daughters of the American Revolution. She was an active member of the Madras Christian Church and until early September of this year she volunteered weekly at the Jefferson County Food Bank. Prior to retiring to Madras in 1987, Mary had worked for the Post Office in Bellevue, Washington. Though never active in politics, she worked many years as a polling place volunteer on Election Day, both in Kent and in Madras. A Celebration of Life is planned at her church, Madras Christian Church 115 SE C Street,
Madras, Oregon on Friday November 25, 2022, at 2:00pm. Please come and share your memories.