Charles "Chuck" G. Ruebel 1931 - 2021

Charles "Chuck" G. Ruebel led a full life. He’ll be greatly missed by all who had the chance to know him through the years. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 31, 2021.

Chuck was born November 5, 1931, in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Charles and Marge Ruebel. He graduated from Admiral Farragut Naval Academy in St. Petersburg, Class 1949, before attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he majored in Industrial Engineering. He would remain a life-long Gators fan. On any game day, you knew where to find him, in front of his TV, cheering “Go, Gators!” dressed in his favorite Gator T-shirt, Gator flag at the ready.

While at the University of Florida, he met his first wife, Wanda Adams. They married the year following his graduation from UF. Their first child, Charles III (Chase), was born in October of 1953. Their second child, Tarah Shawn, followed in March of 1958.

Upon graduation, Chuck joined his father’s Dodge-Plymouth Auto Dealership in St. Petersburg and worked there for five years before accepting a Planning Engineer position with Sperry Univac Corp, in Gainesville. In 1962, the plant received its first Univac 60 computer. Charles borrowed the manuals and foresaw how such a tool could be of great use in manufacturing. In 1966, he successfully passed a Data Processing Certification and never looked back, embracing fully the computer revolution.

After 10 years at Univac Corporation, Charles accepted a job offer from Dow Chemical Company at Rocky Flats in Colorado. He, his wife Wanda, and their two children made their new home in Boulder. He also began using the name “Chuck" instead of the more formal Charles Jr.
Surprisingly, it’s in the middle of the Rockies where he found his other life-long passion, the joy of sailing at the helm of his Catalina 22. Sailing at Carter Lake was a tradition during family visits. He served as Commander of the U.S. Power Squadron of Boulder. He always said his happiest times were spent sailing in Colorado and during his numerous times exploring the beautiful waters of the British Virgin Islands, the West Gulf Coast of Florida, or along the East Coast Atlantic waters with his best friend, Carl Forsberg.

His son, Chase, died  August 14, 1972. His first wife, Wanda, died from cancer on January 15, 1976. He met Roberta (Beals) Ensle while attending First Presbyterian Church in Boulder. They married July 14, 1978. He would always tease his French son-in-law that his wedding anniversary was celebrated all over France with fireworks.

They relocated to the Tampa area in 1983. He and Roberta were very active within the Presbyterian Church in Palm Harbor. He served as president of The Growing Tree preschool at the church. They embarked on one last coast-to-coast moving adventure to McMinnville to call the Hillside Retirement Community home in July of 1998. Chuck served as Vice-President and President of the Hillside Residents' Association Committee. In 2006, he was awarded the Clifton “Good Samaritan Award” and received the “Enrichment of Life Award” from the Oregon Health Care Association.

He served as elder and deacon at the First Presbyterian Church, where he was a strong supporter of the various missions and any program geared toward helping all members of the community. Chuck co-started “Community Dinner." Its mission of serving dinner for all, every Saturday evening, was very important to him. He was always there until 2018.

Thanks to the strong friendship circle he established at First Presbyterian, Chuck discovered one last passion, a good game of Bocce. Introduced to the game at Rainbow Ridge Vineyard by Bill Wittenberg, he couldn’t wait, counting the months, weeks and finally days before Game 1 of the new season. At 86, he was part of the team that won First Place at the McMinnville Sunrise Rotary Bocce Ball Tournament.

Roberta’s passing in April 2017 affected him deeply. They had been married 39 years.

Surviving him are his daughter, Tarah S. (Walter) Wiese of Fairfield, Iowa; his sister, Barbara J. Stubbs of Pinellas Park, Florida; Rick Ensle of Tucson, Arizona; Carolyn E. (Jacques) Rendu of McMinnville; Harold (Zdena) Ensle of  Arvada, Colorado; Luanne (Richard) Leder of Charlotte, North Carolina; grandchildren, Camille, James, Veronika, David, Eric, Kate, Natalie and Thomas; great-grandchild, Milo; and nephews, Brent and Kenneth.

Service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, November 19, 2021, at First Presbyterian Church of McMinnville.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Chuck’s memory may be made to “For Haiti With Love” (www.forhaitiwithlove.org), P.O. Box 1017, Palm Harbor, FL 34682-1017, or to First Presbyterian Church of McMinnville, with memo “Community Dinner."

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