Dr. Josephine Alice (Rusher) Bartow Ruud, 104, of Lawrence, Kansas, died on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living.
She was the daughter of Frank and Mina (Allen) Rusher, born on October 16, 1921, in Mitchell, Nebraska.
During WWII, she married Richard Bartow who was later killed in Okinawa on April 11, 1945.
She went back to college, graduating with bachelor and master’s degrees in Home Economics from Iowa State University.
She earned her doctorate from Penn State University while managing a community adult education program. He next position was at North Dakota State University (NDSU) where she was head of the home economics education program from 1961 to 1973. After that she became the State Program Leader for Home Economics Extension at the University of Wyoming from 1973 to 1982.
On June 12, 1965, she married Norman Ruud. Upon their retirement, they moved to Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, purchasing a hobby farm near Norman’s home place.
After the hobby farm and Norman’s death, Josephine Bartow Ruud published numerous articles and three professional books during the 1970s; “Teaching for Changed Attitudes and Values”, “Adult Education for Home and Family Living”, and “Handbook on Home and Family Living.” She also enjoyed writing two cookbooks, “How to Pot It Now That He Shot It” and “The Young Adult Cookbook.” She kept up to date professionally by writing a monthly column, “News Flashes” for Lake Region Electric Cooperative for 20 years from 1991 to 2010. The columns were on nutrition, gardening, children, homemaking, etc. She always included a few tested recipes.
She is survived by her son, Jerry (Jane) Bartow of Lawrence, Kansas; grandson, Doug Bartow of Chicago, Illinois; granddaughter, Amanda (Chris) Storm of Lawrence, Kansas; and great-grandchildren, Lydia and Elliott Storm of Lawrence, Kansas.
A Celebration of Life will be held to honor Jo’s memory, with details to be shared at a later date.
Jo was a friend of my grandmother, Dorothy Christianson. I still have my copy of The Young Adult Cookbook. I remember chatting about her time at Iowa State (also my alma mater). Jo was a cool lady and I’m glad she lived such a long and interesting life.
So sorry to read of Jo’s passing. She had a lot of good friends in Pelican Rapids area, and I am glad I was one of them. RIP, Jo.
Jo as an extraordinary lady. I have fond memories of visiting with her at the farm, and driving through Maplewood park to watch the leaves in the fall. She was a gift!