Dallas Ruark

1941 - 2014

Dallas Irving Ruark

Salisbury-Dallas Irving Ruark, 72, of Salisbury passed away on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Salisbury Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Born in Siloam, he was the son of the late Irvin Dallas Ruark and Margaret Taylor Ruark.

Dallas was a member of the Lighthouse Wesleyan Church in Fruitland and the Moose Lodge. He graduated from the Maryland School for the Blind and then Old Dominion University in Virginia with a degree in business management.

At the age of 15, his sister Margaret bought him his first guitar and his love of music was born. She showed him his first three chords and he took off from there, teaching himself to play. He had his first band, Dallas & the DJs, at the age of 17. Over the years he had many bands including Whiskey River and Sunshine Express, as well as traveling with his family's gospel group, The Taylor Family. He is most known for his longest lasting band, Dallas & The Deep Creek Symphony. They toured the U.S. and Canada for over three years before returning home, where he and his wife, Shelia, owned several businesses. His group Deep Creek appeared as the opening act for many well known artists such as George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Don Williams, Freddie Hart and Norman Wade.

Dallas was always there to lend a helping hand for anyone who needed it and played in many benefits for private citizens and public organizations such as the Kidney Foundation, Heart Association and the annual Buddy's Shell event for muscular dystrophy. He never met a stranger wherever he went. He retired from music due to illness in 2003, only continuing to play in his church for the Lord. He later worked for Blind Industries of Maryland.

He is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Sheila Mae Abbott Ruark; five children, Dallas "DJ" Irving Ruark, Donald Richard Ruark, John Madison Swanner, Dianna Marie Hildebrand, all of Salisbury, and Robin Ruark of Ocean City; 11 grandchildren, Ashley, Dallas III, Shyanne, Dylan, Christina, Ashley, Anna, Harold, Tommy, Daniel and Michael; several great-grandchildren; a brother, Skip Ruark, and his wife, Donna, of Fruitland; two stepbrothers, Jeff Conner of Salisbury and Robin Conner of Delmar; special friends, Tommy and April Nelson, and their son, Cody, and Sherri Clark; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by two sisters, Florence Elizabeth Ruark and Margaret Amelia Ruark.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 12, at 1 p.m. at Holloway Funeral Home in Salisbury, with a visitation two hours prior to the service. The Rev. Mark Soone will officiate.

Contributions may be made in his memory to Alzheimer's Association and or Coastal Hospice.

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home PA, 501 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD 21804. Please visit www.hollowayfh.com to express condolences to the family.