William Ruark

William Rufus Ruark, 82, of East New Market, Md., passed away Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, at Dorchester General Hospital.

He was born Sept. 22, 1928, in Bishops Head, Md., son of Ashland A. Ruark and Rosa Jane "Janie" Parks Ruark Bloodsworth.

Rufus enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1948. He served in the Korean conflict as a paratrooper in an Airborne Regimental Combat Unit.

He is survived locally by William Rufus "Rocky" Ruark Jr. and Mark Ruark (Rhonda) of Cape Girardeau, sons from a previous marriage to the late Lucille Ruark of Hopkinsville, Ky.; along with three grandsons, Jay Ruark of New Orleans, Nick and Nathan Ruark of Cape Girardeau.

Survivors in Maryland include his wife, Peggy Ruark; a son, Jeff Ruark (Michelle) of East New Market; and grandsons Grant and Garrett Ruark; a daughter, Charlene Ruark Edwards of Cambridge, Md.; and grandsons Justin Edwards (Tiffany) and Tyler Edwards.

Inurnment with military honors was held Monday at Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Hurlock, Md.

Pallbearers were nephews Tom and Jay Reinke, and grandsons Justin and Tyler Edwards. Honorary pallbearers were grandsons Jay Ruark, Grant Ruark, Garrett Ruark, Nicholas Ruark and Nathan Ruark.

Curran-Bromwell Funeral Home, P.A., in Cambridge was in charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial offerings in Rufus Ruark's name may be made to either American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or www.diabetes.org/site/donation; or to Veterans Recognition Committee, P.O. Box 143, Cambridge, MD 21613.

To view online condolences, please visit www.curran-bromwell.com.