Ruby Viola Bucknell

Ruby Viola (Olson) Bucknell, 94, of Charles City, passed away Friday, April 23, 2021 at the 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.

A private family service will be held at First Baptist Church in Charles City with a public Celebration of Ruby’s Life held at a later date. Pastor Matt Howlett will officiate the service and burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City.

Ruby Viola Olson was born in 1926 in Underwood, Minnesota, to Frank and Lily Olson. She was the oldest of six siblings with one sister and four brothers. They grew up on a farm in the Amor and Fergus Falls area of Minnesota. Ruby attended country school and Perham High School.

During WWII, Ruby worked in an ammunition plant in New Brighton, Minn., for the International Harvester Company. She ran a forklift hauling bins of metal scraps that came from making shell casings. She worked at the plant until it closed when the war ended. It was during this time that Ruby met Lynn Bucknell from Charles City.

When asked how she met Lynn, Ruby would smile and tell you about Lynn offering to give her a ride home from work. She’d gone out front to wait for him to come and came across two other ladies also waiting for a ride. When Lynn pulled up one of the ladies said, ‘Oh here he is!’ Ruby was a little dismayed that she was just another passenger until she realized that he was going out of his way to drop the other ladies off before her.

That first ride home was the start of what would become the rest of their lives. On the 19th of November, 1945, Lynn and Ruby were united in marriage in Minneapolis, Minn. They then returned to Charles City, where they farmed and raised their eight children. As if her life wasn’t busy enough, Ruby also worked at the Salisbury Baptist Home as a nurse’s aide for a time.

She had a great passion for baseball. She could tell you the stats of almost any team, but the Minnesota Twins were her favorite. Music was also very special to her. If she wasn’t watching baseball, there was music playing from something.

In her spare time, she enjoyed reading and Bible Study groups. First Baptist Church was very important to her. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years and the ladies of the Kodak Women’s Circle became lifetime friends.

Ruby was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Lynn; two daughters: Loralyn K. Williams and Carolyn Simpson; a son-in-law, LeRoy Simpson; her parents; a sister, Shirley Oliver; and two brothers: Jim Olson and Rodney Olson.

Living family members include: Carolyn’s daughters: Karol Knight and Karla (Doug) Muckler; Leland (Shirley) Bucknell of Charles City and his family Misty (Russell) Olson, LeAnn, Kim and Kristi Bucknell; Dean (Diana) Bucknell of Nashua and their family, Thomas (Missy) Bucknell; Duane Bucknell of Palmer, Neb. and his family, Clint (Jess) Bucknell, Chad (Jill) Bucknell, Sarah (Jeremy) Davis, Andrew Bucknell and Laura Bucknell; Doralyn (Rodney) Bigelow of Nashua and their family, Quinton (Nicole) Bigelow and Clayton Bigelow; Roger (Lynda) Bucknell of Thornton and family, Elizabeth (Chris) Morse, Emily (Drew) Jackson and Tiffany Bucknell; Robyn (Rod) Jones of New Hampton, Mo., and their son Cole Jones;  a son-in-law, Bryan Williams of Colfax;  22 great grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; and two brothers:  Harold Olson of Vancouver, Wash., and Roger (Barbara) Olson of Vancouver, Wash.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.