Kim Ray Ruddick

Kim Ray Ruddick, age 65, of Marshalltown, Iowa, passed away Monday, September 23, 2024.

Services for Kim will take place on Monday, September 30 at 10:00 A.M. at New Hope Christian Church with Pastor Mike Herschberger and Pastor Bobby Shomo officiating. He will be laid to rest at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Family and friends are also invited to attend a visitation on Sunday, September 29 from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. All attendees are encouraged to dress in casual attire. Memorials in Kim’s name may be directed to the family for later designation. For additional questions or condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234.

Kim was born on October 12, 1958 in Eldora, Iowa, one of four boys born to parents Maurice and Shirley (Vinton) Ruddick. He grew up in Marshalltown, and as a natural athlete, played every sport he could. He especially excelled in baseball and track, easily hitting six feet on the high jump. He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1977. He went on to play baseball at Marshalltown Community College and the University of Northern Iowa, where he still holds the record for most stolen bases. Later he finished his degree in Business Management at Buena Vista University.

Kim met the love of his life, Lori Birdsall, during his time at MCC. The couple was united in marriage on August 31, 1985. They made their home in Marshalltown, where they raised their two sons. The majority of his career was spent as a youth service worker at the Eldora Training School. During that time, he also drove semi with his dad, but always made sure to be home for his sons’ sports and activities. He made sure to continue that commitment and never missed a game of either of his grandsons. Kim always kept busy, and after his retirement in 2019, he continued to manage the Lincoln Towers and added lawn care and snow removal to his busy lifestyle.

Kim had a tough exterior with a soft heart. He wasn’t afraid of hard work or tough love, but he also was always there with a hug and smile when you needed one. He changed countless lives during his time in Eldora, taking many, many boys under his wing and coaching them in several different intramural sports. Even more lives were touched while coaching his sons’ sports teams, including Little League, AAU baseball and Marshalltown Football League. That work ethic and dedication was something he was able to pass on to his sons and his grandsons. He also passed on his love of the outdoors, especially hunting deer, ducks and turkey. Kim had an ability to talk to anyone and never met a stranger. He knew how to make people feel important and truly enjoyed the many connections he made over the years. He was an incredibly supportive husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, coach and friend.

Kim was blessed with an equally supportive and loving family, and those left to cherish him memory include his wife of 39 years, Lori; sons Jeremy (Joanna) Ruddick and Austin (Stephanie) Ruddick, both of Marshalltown; grandsons Kellen and Clayton; his parents Maurice and Shirley Ruddick; brothers Steve (Debra) Ruddick of Marshalltown and Kelly (Tammy) Ruddick of Colorado; sister-in-law Lee Vogt; mother-in-law Donna Dorsey of Hampton; brothers-in-law: Steve (Tammy) Birdsall, Tim (Joni) Birdsall, Neil Birdsall, Nick (Krisha) Birdsall, Wayne Dorsey (Maria) and Lance (Beth) Dorsey; his nieces and nephews: Connor, Lauren, Sawyer, Sullivan, Alicia, Tonya and Rodney Ruddick, Sara, Shawn, Teri and Madeline Birdsall, Lauren and Connor Reece, and Luke Hand; uncles Terry Ruddick and Doug (Brenda) Ruddick; and aunts Jane Hawkins and Sue (Tom) Delledonne. Kim will also be remembered by the numerous young men who were deeply impacted throughout Kim’s life as a youth service worker, coach, father-figure and “team grandpa,” as well as by the many friends he made over the years, including coworkers, his Wednesday golf buddies, the residents of Lincoln Towers, and his snow removal and lawn care clients, to name a few.

He is preceded in death by his brother Rodney Ruddick, maternal and paternal grandparents, father-in-law Roger Birdsall, stepfather-in-law John Dorsey and uncle Frank Hawkins.