Betty Pauli Ruddick, age 91, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, passed away Sunday March 2, 2025, in Camdenton, MO. She was born July 3, 1933, in Manhattan KS, the daughter of Lowell Carl and Wilma Swart Pauli. Betty graduated from Paseo High School in Kansas City in 1951 and graduated from Drury College in 1955.
She met Alvin Matthews Ruddick at Drury College, and they married on July 16, 1955, in Kansas City, MO. Al and Betty owned the Ruddick’s, Inc. furniture store in Fort Scott until 2000.
Betty was a homemaker, worked at Ruddick’s, and worked at the Fort Scott Tribune. She volunteered with the Campfire Girls for 19 years, as a Rape counselor for 15 years and was instrumental in establishing the Bourbon County CASA program and worked as the director and a volunteer for many years. She was a longtime member of the FU Chapter of the PEO and was a member of the First United Methodist Church and participated in numerous committees and organizations within the church. Much of Al and Betty’s time revolved around their family, friends and life at their cabin at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Betty’s survivors include 3 daughters, Lisa Rucker and husband Ron, St. Louis, MO, Linda Burger, St. Louis, MO, Leslie Ogden and husband Chris, Lee’s Summit, MO; grandchildren Jeremy Ruddick (Nicole), Liberal, MO , Abby Simmons (Cody), Carl Junction, MO, Haley Trainor (Michael), Boston, MA, Aaron Rucker, Dallas, TX, Samatha Burger, Lee’s Summit, MO, Nick Ogden (Taylor), Lee’s Summit, MO, and Hannah Ogden, Mission, KS; great grandchildren, Cooper Ruddick, Jackson Simmons, Henry Trainor, Nell Trainor and Emma Ogden; sister-in-law Patricia Pauli, Shawnee, KS and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews .
Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband Alvin M. Ruddick, daughter Lori G. Ruddick, brother William C. Pauli, stepmother M. Maxine Pauli, and stepsister Sharon Coyan.
Jay Lotterer will conduct funeral services at 11:30 am Monday, March 10th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 until service time Monday morning at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to be made to either Bourbon County CASA or Ellna’s Adult Care and may be left or sent in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.