UPDATE: Serves have been moved to Bethlehem Lutheran Church,
2050W CR 1100N in Chesterton.
Amanda Rae Ruoff, 22, died at 5 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010 in Evansville,
Ind., where she was a senior at the University of Evansville. Her death was
the result of an epileptic seizure.
She was born July 27, 1988, in Valparaiso, the daughter of Kurt Edward and
Ramona Lee (Hilton) Ruoff. Her father preceded her in death in 1992.
She is survived by her mother, Mona Dickinson of Chesterton; sister, Ally
Ruoff of Chesterton; two brothers, Matt Ruoff of Valparaiso and Zack
Dickinson of Chesterton; her boyfriend, Matt Mueller of Goodland, Ind.;
maternal grandmother, Jo Ann Hilton of Chesterton; paternal grandparents,
John and Marilyn Ruoff of Chesterton; aunts Becky (Aaron) Bolton of
Chesterton and Kristin Tripp of Michigan City; uncles, Scott Ruoff of
Granger, Ind., and Todd Ruoff of Colorado; her niece, Nara Isaacson of
Valparaiso; her Phi Mu sisters and Greek family at the University of
Evansville; and many cousins, friends and extended family members.
Along with her father, she was preceded in death by her paternal
grandfather, Dick Hilton; uncle Rich Hilton; and great-grandparents Edward
and Adelyne Ruoff and William and Helen Rose.
A 2007 graduate of Chesterton High School, Mandy was a senior majoring in
sports management and broadcast communications at UE and a member of Phi Mu
sorority. She was employed in the university's work study program at the
Student Publications office and was also active with Aces TV, the student
television station.
As part of her communications studies, she completed an internship this past
summer with WYIN public television station in Merrillville, where she
assisted with filming news and sports segments and the production of the
nightly news broadcast.
While at CHS, Mandy was active in the Singing Sands yearbook staff and was a
student athletic trainer for all four years. She also participated in Speech
and Debate and Natural Helpers. During her senior year, she served as a
Cadet Teacher at Yost School, where she had attended elementary school.
Throughout her youth, she was active in Duneland Soccer Club in house and
traveling teams, Liberty Rec tee-ball and softball, Duneland YMCA
basketball, Girl Scouts and Duneland Pop Warner cheerleading. She was a
member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
During her summers and school breaks in high school and college, she worked
at Sand Creek Country Club cafe and Bristol Cafe in the Lighthouse Mall.
Those who knew “Mandy Ru” knew that the seizures were a part of her life.
Though she struggled with them at times, she never got discouraged and
always had a positive outlook, a warm smile and a heart of gold.
The funeral service is planned for 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, at Bethlehem
Lutheran Church, 2050W CR 1100N in
Chesterton. Pastor David
Mueller of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Goodland will officiate. Burial
will follow in the Chesterton Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 until 8 p.m. Thursday and from noon
Friday until the time of service at the funeral home.
The family requests that memorials be made in Mandy's name to the Phi Mu
Chapter, in care of University of Evansville, 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville,
IN 47722 or the Phi Mu Foundation, Phi Mu Headquarters, 400 Westpark Drive,
Peachtree City, GA 30269.
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