In loving memory of

Linda June Rukgaber
May 22, 1943 - November 5, 2017

Linda June Rule Rukgaber, 74, of Independence, Missouri passed away on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at Center Pointe Hospital from a seizure in which her breathing and heart stopped.
Born May 22, 1943 in Memphis, Missouri she was the daughter of the late James Oscar Rule and the late Bessie Bernice Rule both of Burlington, Iowa. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Charles "Mike" Rukgaber (formally of Mt Pleasant, Iowa) and currently living in Independence, Missouri; two daughters, Nina Mewes (Steven) Noe (formally of Burlington, Iowa) and now reside in Lee's Summit, Missouri and Roxanne Mewes DeLong of Oak Grove, Missouri; three grandchildren, Jessica Noe, Lee's Summit, Missouri, Joshua Noe, Lee's Summit, Missouri and Katelyn DeLong of Oak Grove Missouri; and a brother Jim (Phyllis) Rule of Macomb, Illinois.
Linda attended Sunnyside Elementary School and was a 1961 graduate of Burlington High School. She graduated from Burlington Beauty Academy in 1962. She attended Southeastern Community College where she was in the top 5 for a National Typing and Administrative skills competition and won a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Linda was married to Dale Allen Mewes for a few years and had two wonderful children. She worked for Antenna Designs in Burlington, Iowa for several years. Linda married Mike Rukgaber in April 17, 1976 in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
Linda and Mike lived in Burlington until 1985. She had a beauty shop at Elm View Care Center where she enjoyed hair styling for the residents. They enjoyed traveling to yearly National Engineering Conventions together. They also liked going to watch their daughter Nina participate in high school sporting events throughout the state of Iowa for basketball and softball and watching their daughter Roxanne participate in dance activities at Cheryl's School of Dance in Burlington, Iowa. Linda and Mike moved to Belton, Missouri in 1985 and have lived in the Kansas City area for the remaining years to be close to their grandchildren and children.
Linda retired from the US Department of Agriculture with the Bulk Grain Merchandising Division in Kansas City in 2006 with 20 years of loyal service. She received several certificates of merit and other awards from the Department of Agriculture for superior performance of duties, exceptional performance and dedication, effective and efficient timely processing of special projects.
Linda enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and going to their activities, grandparent's day functions and watching them grow up. She and her family took many trips to Branson and Hollister, Missouri visiting her parents. She enjoyed gardening, scrapbooking, playing board games especially Chinese checkers and canasta card game, oil painting, going to garage sales, fishing, sewing, country music, her pet dogs, picnics, going to the gambling boats, shopping for clothes, crafting, watching the KC Royals Baseball team, and Sunday dinners with her family, until her health began declining from Alzheimer's and diabetes. She was known as a good cook and for making great brownies from scratch, deviled eggs and Sunday dinners for her family with roast and the fixings.
The funeral service for Linda will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 10, 2017 at Lunning Chapel with Rev. David Bracht-Wagner officiating. Family will receive friends one hour prior to service. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Institute of Mental Health Gift Fund, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6101, MSC 9655, Bethesda, MD 20892-9655 to go toward research for mental health in Linda's name.

Tributes

Willie Jones wrote on Nov 9, 2017:

"Linda was a good friend thru junior high and high school and my special friend Phillis Ryner was lucky to have Linda as a sister. From Willie Jones, Class of 1961."