Margaret Ellen "MargE" DeRuyscher

Margaret Ellen “MargE” DeRuyscher, age 95, passed away Saturday, January 2, 2021 at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa.

MargE was born to Carl and Ethel (Rhodes) Kling on July 20, 1925 in Dixon, Illinois. She lived in Dixon most of her childhood and teen years and was graduated from Dixon High School in 1943.

After working a year to pay for her first year of college, MargE started college at Drake University, Des Moines. In 1948 she earned her undergraduate degree in Radio-Journalism.

While working in radio in Colorado Springs, Colorado, MargE met Oliver DeRuyscher who at the time was militarily stationed at Camp Carson. They were wed on November 11, 1950.

Residing in Dixon, Illinois after her husband’s military discharge, they were blessed with a son and a daughter.

In 1958 the DeRuyscher family moved to Des Moines, Iowa.

In 1968 after several years of employment with Bankers Life Insurance, MargE was employed by the, then, Iowa Employment Security Commission – later Job Service of Iowa - working a majority of that time with ‘special needs’ clients.

In 1978 she returned to Drake University and earned a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Job Placement. After graduation, she was employed by the Iowa Department for the Blind from 1979 to 1989 at which time she retired.

After retirement, she became more active in the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, Des Moines, helping to build a credible church library. She also enjoyed working in the Missions Ministry program at the church.

In 2017, after having lived in her southside Des Moines home for nearly 59 years, she moved to Bondurant with her daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Doug Keller.

MargE was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Carol (Kling) Preikschat; her loving husband, Oliver DeRuyscher; and her beloved son and daughter-in-law, Carl and Jeanne DeRuyscher.

MargE is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Douglas Keller; grandchildren, Christopher (Paige) DeRuyscher, Simon (Cydni) DeRuyscher, Alex DeRuyscher, and Erin (Adam) Keller Fynaardt; great-grandchildren, Josephine “Josie” DeRuyscher, Jalen DeRuyscher, Luke Fynaardt, Cecelia Marie DeRuyscher, Jax DeRuyscher, Jamison DeRuyscher, and Macy Leigh Fynaardt; and a host of extended family and beloved friends.

A memorial service for MargE will be held at Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, Des Moines in the spring when weather permits and distant family members can attend. Inurnment will follow later in Dixon, Illinois on a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, MargE has requested that memorial contributions be made to either Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, 244 E Army Post Rd, Des Moines, IA 50315 or to the International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES). IDES works in partnership with Christ’s servants around the globe to care for victims of natural disasters.

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