Robert Ruggles , 96 , passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 7, 2023 , at the St. Luke's Home in Dickinson, ND . A memorial s ervice for Robert will be at 5:00 pm (MDT) on Monday , January 1 6 , 2023 , at the Ladbury Funeral Home in Dickinson, ND. Burial will be on a later date.

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Robert was born October 13, 1926, in a rural farmhouse southwest of New England, ND , t o Isaac and Iris (Evans) Ruggles .  He grew up on the family farm with three brothers and one sister.  He went to a country school and later attended New England High School staying in the dormitory.  As a teenager , Robert helped h is uncle Will Byers and aunt Effie and spoke fondly of his time working on the ir farm which Robert and Idel later took over and it became their family farm where they raised their family .

Robert married Idel Stafford on June 16, 1948, at the P ierce Congregational Church.  They raised a family of three girls and two boys , who helped on the farm and experienced the love, patience and encouragement of their parents . Robert was very sharing of his time and talents helping all of his family and friends with all kinds of projects. Robert and Idel were married for 74 ½ years and were kept young by enjoying time spent with their grandkids and great-grandkids.

Robert enjoyed going on Sunday drives, checking out the crops and stopping to check out any unique rocks he might see. Anytime he found an interesting rock he would carry it home and throw it on a pile which grew to four feet tall through the years.  There wasn't a piece of farm equipment or vehicle that didn't have some precious stones rattling around on the floorboards as the result of a recent find .  He loved to share his passion for rocks with many of his grandkids.  Another one of his joys was to plant and see pine trees grow.  The beautiful trees on the tree farm on the hill along Highway 67 are a lasting testament of his love for trees. Robert had many interests including reading, carpentry, and gardening .  H is greatest love was for the Lord Jesus, and he shared that love with family and friends. Robert and Idel lived for many years on the tree farm before they moved into the St. Luke ' s Home in March 2022.

God has blessed Robert with many wonderful years and in turn everyone who knew him was blessed because of knowing him .

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, sister Jean (Fred) Schaar , brothers Lowell (Betty), Willard and Keith and son-in-law Melvin Siverson . Brothers-in-law Arden Stafford, Lloyd Teske and sister-in-law Doris Teske .

Robert is survived by wife Idel ; his children, Linda Siverson , Connie (Leon) Scheeler , Kerry (Twyla) Ruggles, Joan (Dean) Karsky, and Pat (Faye) Ruggles ; 19 grandchildren and 3 4 great-grandchildren ; and his sister-in-laws Rose (Keith) Ruggles , Eunice (Willard) Ruggles and Ginger (Arden) Stafford; and several nieces and nephews.

Robert's family would like to thank the staff at St. Luke's Home for their wonderful care and many acts of kindness shown to Robert.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to St. Luke ' s Home .

Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Services of Bowman and Ladbury Funeral Servcies of Dickinson are in charge of the arrangements.