Norman Ruecker

1932 - 2020

Norman Ruecker of Lincoln, California died on April 11, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Betty, to whom he was married for 65 years. He is also survived by their two sons, Brian (Renee) and Greg, and three grandchildren: Jordan, Marshall, and Kathleen. Norm was born on a small farm in Oregon in 1932, the fourth of five children. His parents (Herman and Hermina) and three siblings have preceded him in death; his sister, Helen Moeller, of Hillsboro Oregon survives him. He worked his way through college graduating from the University of Oregon (where he and Betty met) in 1954, with a major in Accounting. Upon his graduation, he and Betty married, and moved to San Francisco. He was a trustee of the University of Oregon Foundation for 11 years. He passed the CPA exam in 1955, winning an award for having the highest grades on that exam in the State of California and third in the nation. He spent his entire 60 year career working in the financial district of San Francisco, as a CPA specializing in income taxes, charitable giving and estate taxation. He had the satisfaction of working with some of the best known business, banking and financial people in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was past president of the San Francisco Tax Club (senior tax members of the legal and CPA professions.) Norman spent the first 48 years of his career with the international CPA firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. where he had regional and tax responsibilities over that firm's offices in other major U.S. cities and offices in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. The subsequent years of his career were spent with the tax specialty firm of Andersen Tax. Norm was a third generation Lutheran, and was active in Lutheran activities during his entire adult life. At the time of his death, he had just stepped down as president of the Ella M. Rohlffs Foundation, an endowment fund whose income supports the operation of Lutheran Care for the Aging, which provides funds for the housing needs for the low-income elderly. He was a 45 year member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in San Rafael. He utilized his tax abilities in giving pro bono tax and business advice to widows of some of his clients, and widows within his church. He also acted as trustee for his deceased sister's (Margaret, a retired schoolteacher) estate, in providing educational funds for her grand-nieces and grand-nephews. The Ruecker family lived in San Rafael from 1959-2004. During that period of time, Norm was a past treasurer of the Marin Tennis Club. He was also past president of his country club (the Meadow Club in Fairfax), where he was awarded the title of "Honorary Member" when he and Betty moved to Lincoln in 2004. He will be remembered with appreciation and respect by his clients, by his fellow church members, and by the hundreds of professionals who worked under his direction, for the many years of his career. Due to the current COVID-19 environment, a memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions to Lutheran Care for the Aging, 1031 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109.