Julianne Ruetz

Julianne Ruetz, nee Brueggemann, died Thursday, March 2, 2006 at the age of 76 after a protracted battle with cancer. Born in California on April 6, 1929, she moved with her family to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin at the age of 11. In 1950, she graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee with a major in speech and English and a minor in philosophy and education. Shortly after graduation, she married Ed Ruetz. Julianne and Ed had two children, Jeffrey, born in 1952, and Lynn, born in 1956. In 1960, the family moved to Littleton, Colorado. Julianne received a master's degree in mass communications from the University of Denver in 1969. Both Julianne and Ed worked at radio stations in Wisconsin and continued in broadcasting after the move to Colorado. In Denver, Julianne hosted a children's news program and cartoon program at KTVR (Channel 2), she worked on the Bill Barker show at KOA (Channel 4), and did a number of radio and television ads. However, her primary career was in teaching, in particular English, speech, communications, and radio and television production. Julianne started work as a substitute teacher in the Littleton School District, then joined the faculty at Euclid Junior High. Later she taught at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, at Metropolitan State College in Denver, and at Aurora Central High School. After her retirement from full-time teaching, Julianne continued substitute teaching in the Cherry Creek School District, as well as spending seven years researching and writing a comprehensive family history. Julianne is survived by her son Jeff Ruetz and his wife Kim of Aurora, Colorado, Jeff's son Michael of Chicago, Illinois, and her daughter Lynn Hertwig, Lynn's husband Klaus, and their sons Philipp and Christian of Kaufbeuren in Bavaria, Germany. Julianne loved to talk about her children and grandchildren, especially about Jeff's work as a policeman and pilot, Lynn's life and work in Germany, and her 'brilliant' grandsons. Michael, Philipp, and Christian will remember Julianne best as the most daring and fun-loving grandmother ever. Julianne is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Ray Jahn of Milwaukee, cousin Martha Uhlmann-Boucher of Laramie, Wyoming, nieces and nephews Curt Hines of Seattle, Peter Jahn of Madison, Wisconsin, Heidi Jahn of Racine, Wisconsin, Eric Jahn of Erie, Colorado and Chris Jahn of Boulder, Colorado, and second cousins Suzi Gough of Cochran, Georgia, Steve Uhlmann of Loveland, Colorado, and Sheryl Uhlmann of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Julianne / Mom / Monga / Grandy / Auntie Julie, you put up a good fight! We love you and are going to miss you terribly.