John Von Rueden

John E. Von Rueden, Bismarck, known by his friends as "Von", died peacefully on April 17, 2007. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 10:00 AM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck with Rev. Thomas E. Kramer officiating. Burial will be Monday at 10:00 AM at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan. Visitation will be Friday from 3:00 - 9:00 PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a vigil service will be held at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. John Edward Von Rueden was born on January 4, 1934, in Grand Forks, ND, to Teresa Ackerman and John L. Von Rueden. He attended elementary and high school in Grand Forks, graduating from Grand Forks Central High School. He attended the University of North Dakota where he was active in many activities including the Varsity Bards, Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and ROTC. By far Von's proudest association with UND was as a member of the Fighting Sioux football team where he played on both the offensive and defensive lines. He graduated from UND in 1955 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He enlisted in the U.S. Army with the rank of First Lieutenant. Von earned national fame while a young army lieutenant as a contestant on the popular television game show, "The $64,000 Question." Von was stationed at Fort Monmouth, NJ, and Fort Huachuca, AZ, during his military career. Von married his UND sweetheart, Joan Alice Schulz, on September 15, 1962. Von and Joan have three children, all raised in Bismarck. After military service, Von began a long and proud career in sales. He often recalled his memories as a salesman for 3M National Advertising, Warner Lambert and Procter and Gamble; traveling to every part of North Dakota selling products. Von's love of and dedication to his state grew. He also served as sales manager for McCarney Ford, which presented the opportunity to hone both his sales and his political skills through his relationship with "referral king" Bob McCarney. Von took his sales experience and combined it with his flare for showmanship and went into broadcasting; first as a sales manager for Meyer Broadcasting, where he oversaw both television and radio sales. He then went to work for Reiten Television as a sales manager and ultimately served as general manager at KXMB TV in Bismarck. He spent nearly 25 years with the 4X network where his contributions led him to leadership positions with the North Dakota Broadcasters Association, the National Association of Broadcasters, Ad-Mark, Bismarck Chamber of Commerce, Bismarck-Mandan Development Association, Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau, and many other organizations. Von was a popular speaker and MC throughout North Dakota. It was during his tenure at KXMB that Von got involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and served as a local host for the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethons for many years, raising thousands of dollars for Jerry's Kids. Another major project Von oversaw at KXMB was the North Dakota Centennial Celebration in 1989 where he served as Co-MC at the "Party of the Century" on the state capitol grounds. For many years Von wrote a popular feature, "Von on Vin" for area publications. Von's love of politics and heart for public service manifested themselves in many ways. He was elected to the Bismarck Park Board and the Bismarck City Commission and was active in the National and ND League of Cities. He was elected North Dakota Republican Party Vice-Chairman and served as a stint as Chairman in 1993. He was elected to represent North Dakota as the state's Republican National Committeeman in 1984. Von served as chairman of the ND Historical Board and the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation as was a member of both when he died. He was instrumental in the passage of the appropriations bill enabling the construction of a new wing on the ND Heritage Center during the last legislative session and was integral in the founding of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame. Von served as chairman of the ND Film Commission and received the ND Heritage Award from Governor Allen I. Olson. Throughout his career of public service, Von received far too many acknowledgements and awards to mention. He is survived by his wife, Joan, of Bismarck; his mother, Teresa, of Grand Forks; his children, Jody Dave Estensen of Minneapolis, MN, Kurt Linda Von Rueden of Rogers, MN, and Karen Von Rueden of Eden Prairie, MN; and four grandchildren, Whitney and Barrett Estensen and Alex and Andrew Von Rueden. He is preceded in death by his father, Brother Kenneth and Sister Kathryn Sullivan and a granddaughter, Caroline Estensen. Memorials will be accepted by the family to be used to establish an endowment in Von's name at a later date

John Von Rueden

January 4, 1934 - April 17, 2007