"We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden. Tears are the summer showers to the soul. " -Alfred Austin

Lynn C. Ruege, of Grafton, Wisconsin, went to her eternal rest on August 30, 2025. Lynn was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin and Ruth (nee Radloff) Ruege. She will be deeply missed by her closest siblings, Mike Ruege and Cindy (nee Ruege) Bolton, nephews Jesse (Kaleigh) and Adam Bolton. She is also survived by her estranged brothers, Charlie and Randy Ruege.

Lynn was a "flying under the radar" kind of person – she was unpretentious, and if you didn't pay attention, you may have missed her keen intelligence and intensity. When Alfred Austin penned "Show me your garden, and I shall tell you what you are", he could have told many things about Lynn and her life. Her perennial gardens were colorful and creative, and her vegetable garden practical and fulfilling. She was a lifelong learner who enjoyed many, many things, including family, adventures, and great reverence for all forms of life.

Born on March 26, 1950, Lynn grew up in Grafton, Wisconsin. As a child her, family's recreational activities centered around her father's interest in show pigeons, caring for the birds, and going to shows and events. Everyone pitched in and had fun with it. She graduated from Grafton High School in 1968 and went on to Bryant & Stratton College to complete a degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician in January of 1969. She was hired by the Blood Center of Milwaukee in March 1969 and worked in the Accounting Department doing payroll for 47 years, formally retiring in 2015, but remained on staff as a consultant until her position was finally backfilled in 2016. She was beloved by her co-workers, who couldn't let her go without throwing her three retirement parties.

Lynn was a lifelong learner, continuing her education via night school at MATC, where she earned an "Associate of Arts" degree in 1976, and her two-year Accounting Degree with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1991. She also earned several certifications from Marquette University and UWM. She did not get "wheels" until 1978, so she initially bicycled to and from work and school until she earned enough to take the bus.

In 1976, both she and her maternal grandmother used their savings to travel to Europe. They set off with only airline tickets in hand, no other reservations, traveled by train, and stayed wherever they could, wherever they were at the time. It was a "disorganized but amazing" trip. In late summer 1978, she purchased her first car, a Dodge Aspen she called "Jezabel", and soon took off for a drive across the country to Wyoming, where she worked for a week on a working ranch. Jezebel blew a tire in a tiny town in Nebraska on the way to the ranch. Lynn inquired about and was able to reach out to the only local gas station just at closing time, and they fixed her tire for her. Once she finally arrived at the ranch, she did a lot of horseback riding and moved cows, and had such a wonderful time that she decided to return to the ranch in 1981. The 1981 visit was not the fun trip she had anticipated. It rained the entire week, and she was stuck in a cabin with five older ladies from Georgia who insisted on repeatedly telling her why the South had won the Civil War. They spent what outdoor time they had "kicking over hay bales to discourage rattlesnakes from nesting under them". She returned home early from the second trip because her beloved grandmother had passed.

Following Jezebel, Lynn had two subsequent vehicles. "Holly", a 1991 Dodge Shadow, and "Jack, a 2004 Pontiac Vibe. True to her fiery nature, all three vehicles were fire engine red.

Because of her passion for horses, Lynn took English riding lessons as often as possible throughout her early life, and in 1983, she purchased the love of her life, Highland Scott (Scotty), a 7-year-old Quarter Horse. Through Scotty, she met many wonderful barn friends as they learned to jump together, encouraged each other, and went to shows. Scotty was her partner for 23 years until his death in 2006.

In 1993, Lynn bought her house and moved back to Grafton. She collected a houseful of abused antiques and restored them to beauty. She could tell you the history of each piece. She became a dog mom to Cricket (from 8 weeks to 17 ½ years) in 1996. And subsequently recued Holly (a puppy mill mom), who she had for 3 1/2years, and then Misty. She farmed worm poop in her basement for her gardens and raised Monarch butterflies to maturity and then released them.

Other highlights included starting 2002 out with the Polar Bear plunge in Port Washington, Wisconsin; donating 165 pints of blood over her lifetime; and being seriously pursued by at least 3 men.

She gardened her whole life, indoors and out, and graduated as a Master Gardener in 2008. She spent a lot of time supporting the Master Gardener program.

Most important to Lynn was time spent with her sister, Cindy, and brother, Mike. They eradicated a lot of beer wherever they went, including camping, hiking, visiting the local fairs and Maxwell Street Days, and other area festivities.

A strong, modest, compassionate, and very capable woman, Lynn will be remembered for the time, care, effort, and love that she put into everything she did and everyone she interacted with. She embodied 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

Per Lynn's request, no formal services will be held.

In her memory, donations may be sent to Thunderhorse Riding School, 4418 Cedar Creek Road, Grafton, WI 53024, or she would be happy for you to donate to your favorite bar or watering hole.