Obituary of Ruel A Root

Ruel A. Root Jr., 84, of Vowinckel passed away, Monday March 12, 2018 at UPMC Hamot in Erie. He was born July 3, 1933 in Pittsburgh, PA to the late Ruel A. Root Sr. and Bertha M. Barton Root. He married Audrey E. Leister Root, on October 6, 1956 at St. Joseph Church in MT. Oliver, Pittsburgh. She preceded him in death on January 26, 2011. Ruel had served in the U.S. Army before working as an executive for AT&T for 35 years. He also was a park ranger at Cook Forest State Park for 5 years. He was a member of St. Mary's Church in Crown, PA where he was responsible for the Church's sign along the road on Route 66. Ruel belonged to the Knights of Columbus, a past exalted ruler for Norwin Elks, a member of the Farmington Area Ambulance Service and Farmington Volunteer Fire Department where he was a past President. He loved being at his home in the forest with his family and pets. Ruel is survived by four children; Denise Files and husband James, of Townsend GA, Ruel (Bud) Root III and wife Tammy, of Titusville, Maria Foltz and husband Brian, of Julian, PA, and Donald Root and wife Jeanine, of New Bethlehem. Grandchildren; Sam Johnson, Joe Johnson, Andrea Simpson, Stacey Gotchy, Casey Porras, Ruel (BJ) Root IV, Zachary Foltz, Nathan Foltz, Joshua Foltz, Elena Root, Caleb Root, and Maura Root; and seven great grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters; Naomi Wolfhope of Harrison City, PA and Bernadette Wilker of Greensburg, PA and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and two sisters; Laverne Root and Charlotte Kohl. Friends and family will be received on Thursday March 15, 2018 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at the Borland-Ensminger Funeral Home, Inc. in Leeper, PA. A mass of Christian burial will take place on Friday March 16, 2018 at 10:00am at St. Mary's Church in Crown, with Rev. Christopher Barnes pastor, as celebrant. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department P.O. Box 122 Leeper, PA 16233.