Rita Ruff was born to John and Elizabeth (Quirk) Ruff on July 7, 1923 in Edson/Boyd, Wisconsin, Diocese of La Crosse. She was one of 7 children, 5 girls and 2 boys.

She attended Sacred Heart School in Edson, staffed by the Sisters of the Divine Savior. Rita first sensed a desire to become a sister at the early age of 8. Her desire was increased when her adopted sister, Sister Ceciline Ruff, entered the convent. In her personal history, she states: "I remember saying to my mother one day, I don’t know what to do. I’d like to be a Sister, but I’d also like to be a dietician. Mother’s answer was, ‘Well, you could probably be both’."

Rita entered the congregation on August 26, 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She became a novice on August 12, 1939, receiving the name Genevieve. She pronounced her first vows on August 13, 1940 and final vows on August 13, 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Sister Rita attended Divine Savior Convent High School and graduated from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee in 1956 with a BS in Home Economics and a minor in Education. In 1963, she graduated from St. Louis University with a Masters in Home Economics.

She began her teaching career in elementary schools in 1942 and taught in various schools staffed by the Sisters of the Divine Savior. In Wisconsin, she taught at Mother of Good Counsel, Milwaukee; Holy Ghost in Dickeyville; St. Joseph in East Bristol and St. Joseph in Cadott. She also taught in Volo, Illinois and was principal at St. Mary’s in Landover Hills, Maryland.

After receiving her degree from Mt. Mary, she taught Home Economics at Divine Savior High School for eight years. In 1965 when the request came for missionaries to Tanzania, Sister Rita responded to this call. She was assigned to a teaching position in the Salvatorian Secondary School in Masasi, Tanzania for four years. In her personal history she says: "I found the simplicity of the African lifestyle, the eagerness of the students to learn, and the close-knit family spirit between the Brothers, Priests and Sisters contributed positively to the necessary adjustments."

In 1969, Sister Rita was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Her work consisted of helping those on public welfare by teaching them to creatively use food commodities in meal planning, nutrition and food purchasing. She worked in both Racine and Milwaukee Counties. She continued in this ministry until 1975. She then studied and became a certified dietician after which she developed a program of nutrition counseling at Northpoint Clinic for a period of six years.

From 1981 until 1985 she was hired as supervisor of the Homemaker Program at Catholic Social Services. This program provided assistance to the homebound and elderly in their homes.

Sister Rita spent a year, 1986-1987 as a home missioner with Sacred Heart Southern Missions Program in Hernando, Mississippi. There she served as a Social Service Minister and Co-Site Manager for Hill Manor Ministries. When she returned to Milwaukee, she did volunteer work in Home Health Care and took on community service tasks.

In the fall of 1991, she became the Mission Coordinator for the North American Province. This ministry included contacting dioceses and speaking about our missions in many parishes. As Mission Coordinator, she also wrote proposals for mission needs as requested by the Generalate. To enrich her ministry as Mission Coordinator, Sister Rita spent three months with our Sisters in the Philippines, India and Sri Lanka to learn first hand the situations in some of our mission countries for which she was requesting money.

From 1992 – 2000 she again served elderly residents in our SDS-sponsored Hadley Terrace Apartments at the site of the former St. Mary’s Convent. When she moved to Salvatorian Sisters Residence on the St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus, Sister Rita volunteered as a Vigil Keeper for the dying at St. Anne’s and also went to Blessed Savior East Campus School to tutor young children. How fitting to have died in a school named after the Savior.

Sister Rita had broad interests and a sensitive concern for the poor, offering to help in any way she could. She was a prayerful and generous person, devoted to our Founders, Francis Jordan and Mother Mary. In the last few years, she facilitated a group of Lay Salvatorians as they studied our history and spirituality.

On the day of her death, Sister Rita arrived at Blessed Savior East Campus, a school for poor urban children in Milwaukee. She collapsed as she entered the school. The teachers found her and helped to keep her alive until medical assistance arrived. Sister was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Milwaukee. After being anointed by the hospital chaplain, Sisters Maryann Engelhardt and Provincial Leader Marion Etzel assisted Sister Rita with prayers, songs and words of comfort as she quietly slipped into eternal life on November 11, 2008.

Sister Rita was 85 years old and professed for 68 years. May she now experience the joy of full union with our Divine Savior.

Sister Rita is survived by her Salvatorian Sisters and the entire Salvatorian Family; by a brother, Eugene (Dorothy) Ruff and a sister, Bernadette (Richard) Moore.

She was preceded in death by her parents John & Elizabeth (Quirk) Ruff, her brother, Emmett (Catherine), a sister, Eileen (Herman) Kaiser and her two Salvatorian Sisters, Sister Georgine Ruff and Sister Ceciline Ruff.

Funeral Arrangements:

Visitation/Vigil: St. Anne’s Chapel

Burial: Monday, November 17, 2008 at 9:30 AM

7300 West Nash, Milwaukee, WI

Mass of Christian Burial: 1:30 PM