Dean Ruhl
Last Updated on June 23, 2025 by Cass County Communication Network
D. Dean Ruhl, 91, of Star City, IN peacefully passed away on June 17, 2025 at Cedar Creek Assisted Living in Logansport, Indiana, surrounded by family members.
Born October 30, 1933 to Benjamin Harrison & Alta Jane (Harrod) Ruhl in Ossian, IN, he grew up in rural Hoagland, IN.
Dean had 12 older siblings: Enos, an infant (died at birth), Olive, Bessie (died at 2 months of age), Alta May, Josephine, Dorothea (died at 10 months of age), Mearvin, Benjamin, Velma, Donald, and Dean’s twin brother Gene.
Dean married Bonnie Deam of rural Decatur, IN on July 3, 1953. They were married for 70 years until Bonnie died in 2023.
Dean was a graduate of Hoagland High School (Hoagland, IN) where he enjoyed basketball, softball, track, drama, and plays. He also enjoyed singing in chorus and playing the trumpet in band.
After high school he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Education at Purdue University. Dean taught high school Vocational Agriculture for eight years. For ten years he worked as a sales supervisor for Smith-Douglass Fertilizer Company. In 1974, he started his own successful Ag Consulting business in soil fertility and pest management and worked in the business until retirement.
Dean enjoyed and taught his children and others to enjoy learning, gardening, hunting, trapping, fishing, taking walks in the woods, Purdue sports, and Chicago Cubs baseball. He and his wife Bonnie treasured their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchild. He was a Christian man of faith who passed that faith on to his children by both his words and his example. Dean was known by all as not only strong, gentle, and hard-working, but as a man who consistently exuded the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
As his children (For several years we were a house of five teenagers!) we will always remember him as a person who had compassion for all people, as a person who was a loving, devoted husband to Mom, as a hard-working yet fun-loving dad with a contagious smile and laugh, and a playful sense of humor. Precious memories will remain of a dad who taught us how to work and about God’s love for us; a dad who loved people; a dad who taught us to hunt, trap, fish, and garden; a dad who played baseball, basketball, and ping pong with us, counseled us, and dried our tears when needed.
Surviving are children Joe (Gail) of West Lafayette, IN; Dana (Kathy) of Delphi, IN; Dan (Linda) of Star City, IN; Mark (Kelly) of Logansport, IN; and Kelly (Penny) of New Castle, IN. Dean & Bonnie have 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren and a great-great grandchild. Dean was preceded in death by his wife Bonnie, a grandson, Barry Day of Winamac, IN and a great-grandson, infant William Powlen of Fayetteville, NC.
A visitation for Dean is scheduled for Monday, June 23 from 4:00 pm until 7:00 at the Star City United Methodist Church, 2324 E Main St, Star City, IN 46985.
Dean’s funeral service will be Tuesday, June 24 at 10:00 am, immediately following visitation from 9:00 am until 10:00 at the Star City United Methodist Church.
Final place of rest will be at Victor Chapel Cemetery in rural Star City.
Expressions of sympathy can be messages and/or donations to either the Star City United Methodist Church, or the Logansport Main Street Community Church, 19 E. Main Street, Logansport, IN 46947, or St. Jude’s Children Hospital.
Dean’s online guestbook is available and condolences can be shared with the family at www.ransfuneralhomes.com.
Click here to join Dean’s livestream funeral service on Tuesday https://www.facebook.com/starcityunitedmethodist/live