Patricia Lou Ecklund-Ruch 1928 - 2020

Patricia Lou Ecklund-Ruch (wife of Jack C. Ruch) passed away November 14, 2020.  Patricia was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 5, 1928, to Clifford and Pauline Kidd.  Her school years were spent in Kansas City, where her friends knew her as kind, generous and a champion of the underdog, a quality that followed her throughout her long life. In 1945, she graduated from Southwest High School, where she enjoyed starring in her school’s plays. This interest in the theater continued her entire life.

In 1951, she married Robert H. Ecklund, an Army officer, with whom she and their two children travelled around the country and Europe. During the 35 years they were married, Patricia, ever the social butterfly, enjoyed a life filled with community theater, women’s club activities, and room mother responsibilities at the schools her children attended.  She was the most unique and popular mom on the block wherever they lived.

Patricia’s passions included writing and social justice issues.  She wrote greeting cards, poetry, screenplays, short stories and children’s books.  They were read and enjoyed by everyone. To make her voice heard on matters of liberty and justice for all, Patricia actively participated in the Civil Rights Movement. She donated regularly to organizations whose missions were to promote fair and equal treatment of everyone, regardless of race, creed, or color.  When stationed at Fort Ord, California, Patricia also taught pre-school in the Operation Shoestring program for underprivileged children. Her heart was huge, and her goal was to impact the lives of those in our country who are marginalized by society.

Patricia married Jack in 1990, and they divided their time between homes in Mexico and Oregon. Eventually, she settled in to a quiet lifestyle in Sheridan, enjoying the deer and the beautiful views from the home they called Ruch’s Ranch.  She spent her days reading and doing research for the screenplays she wrote.  Becoming an Oregonian gave her the opportunity to spend special time with her two granddaughters and her five great-grandchildren.

Above all, Patricia loved her family: her parents; sister, Gloria; nieces, Jacque, Jenny and Jeri; son, Robert; daughter, Karilyn; son-in-law, Joseph; granddaughters, Kari and Kelsey; and great-grandchildren, Brooke, Asher, Brynn, Joey and McKenna Lou.  She will be greatly missed by all those who loved her as much as she loved them.