Dr. Josephine Alice (Rusher) Bratow Rund

Dr. Josephine Alice (Rusher) Bartow Ruud, 104, of
Lawrence, Kansas, died on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at
Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living.
She was the daughter of Frank and Mina (Allen) Rusher,
born on October 16, 1921, in Mitchell, Nebraska. During
WWII, she married Richard Bartow who was later killed in
Okinawa on April 11, 1945.
She went back to college, graduating with bachelor and
master’s degrees in Home Economics from Iowa State
University.
She earned her doctorate from Penn State University while
managing a community adult education program. He next
position was at North Dakota State University (NDSU)
where she was head of the home economics education
program from 1961 to 1973. After that she became the State
Program Leader for Home Economics Extension at the
University of Wyoming from 1973 to 1982.
On June 12, 1965, she married Norman Ruud. Upon their
retirement, they moved to Pelican Rapids, Minnesota,
purchasing a hobby farm near Norman’s home place.
After the hobby farm and Norman’s death, Josephine
Bartow Ruud published numerous articles and three
professional books during the 1970s; “Teaching for Changed
Attitudes and Values”
,
“Adult Education for Home and
Family Living”
, and “Handbook on Home and Family
Living.
” She also enjoyed writing two cookbooks,
“How to
Pot It Now That He Shot It” and “The Young Adult
Cookbook.
” She kept up to date professionally by writing a
monthly column,
“News Flashes” for Lake Region Electric
Cooperative for 20 years from 1991 to 2010. The columns
were on nutrition, gardening, children, homemaking, etc. She
always included a few tested recipes.
She is survived by her son, Jerry (Jane) Bartow of
Lawrence, Kansas; grandson, Doug Bartow of Chicago,
Illinois; granddaughter, Amanda (Chris) Storm of Lawrence,
Kansas; and great-grandchildren, Lydia and Elliott Storm of
Lawrence, Kansas.
A Celebration of Life will be held to honor Jo’s memory,
with details to be shared at a later date. To leave a message
for Jo’s family, please visit www.Rumsey-Yost.com.