Obituary of Raymond Joseph Ruess

Raymond Joseph Patrick Ruess was born March 17, 1940 in Warren, MO to Charles George and Theresa (DeGreff) Ruess. He passed from this life at home Saturday, November 5, 2022 in Tulsa at the age of 82.

Raymond grew up in St. Louis and attended St. Francis De Sales Catholic School. Raymond married Sandra Lee Pflueger on November 7, 1959 at St. Francis De Sales Church in St. Louis. During more than 55 years of marriage, they traveled the world and made dear friends while living in Oklahoma City, OK., St. Louis, MO., Vienna, VA., Kansas City, MO., and Tulsa, OK.

After starting his career with Lockheed Martin as an airline mechanic, Raymond joined IBM and progressed from a hardware technician, to software engineer, programming instructor, and Series 1 systems lead. After moving to Tulsa, Raymond ran his own software company before joining Premium Financing Specialists, which later became Imperial PFS, based in Kansas City, MO. Raymond retired as vice president of information systems in 2005 after 20 years with Premium Financing Specialists (PFS).

Raymond was an active member of the faith community at Church of the Resurrection, where he served on church council, facilitated small faith groups, sang and arranged music for the choir. Raymond’s love of music was inspired by his father, a music teacher and church organist. A singer at heart, and a lover of harmony, Raymond spent many joyful years performing a capella four-part “barbershop” with the Tulsa Founders Chorus.

Raymond also enjoyed playing golf and bowling. He played on leagues as a member of the Tulsa Men’s Club, where he also served as President, and chaired several committees. He took special pride in playing in golf tournaments alongside his younger daughter, Geralyn Rene, and passing along his love of golf to his grandson, Joseph McNichol.

Following his wife Sandra’s death, Raymond married Janet Elias Ritenour in 2016. Together they enjoyed 30 road trips, as well as cruises to Norway and the Caribbean.

Raymond is survived by his wife, Janet; daughters Geralyn of Farmington, MO., Michelle of Trenton, NJ., grandson Joseph (Jake) McNichol, of Trenton, NJ., sister and brother-in-law Maria and Robert Sobzcak of Victoria, TX., sister-in-law and brother-in-law Sharon and Bruce Findlay of St Peters, MO., nephews Val Pflueger of St. Louis, MO., Douglas Pflueger of Columbia, MO., Erik Seibold of Jonesburg, MO., son-in-law Paul Zych of Trenton, NJ., step-children Jason Ritenour of Austin, TX., and Amy Hetley and her husband Tracy, of Broken Arrow, OK., as well as several great-nieces and great-nephews.

Raymond was preceded in death by his wife Sandra, son-in-law Dunstan McNichol, brothers Charles and Timothy Ruess, brother-in-law Val Pflueger, mother- and father-in-law Mary Frances and Edwin Pflueger, and his mother and father Charles and Theresa Ruess, as well as grandparents, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 9, Church of the Resurrection, 4804 S. Fulton Ave, Tulsa. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute in Raymond’s memory to Doctors Without Borders, doctorswithoutborders.org or to Saint Jude Children’s Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate.

Ninde Brookside, 918-742-5556, www.ninde.com