My name is Deb Rude. My husband, Keith, and I have been married for 50 years. We have lived in the same house just south of Buffalo for 44 years, where we raised our three daughters, Karen, Kathy, and Becky.
I grew up on a farm near Young America. My dad was a farmer and a rural mail carrier, my mom was an RN & farmer’s wife (which as many of you know is a career of its own!). I had three brothers, and no sisters, so was thrilled when God gave us our three girls! My parents believed that a Christian education was an important part of our growing up, and made sacrifices so that we could attend parochial schools at St. John’s Lutheran in Young America, and later at Mayer Lutheran High School. As a child one doesn’t fully understand how valuable that education was until you are parenting yourself.
I attended Lutheran Deaconess School of Nursing and became an RN in 1972. In 2014, after 34 years, I retired from the nursing job that I loved the most (Buffalo Hospital). I truly believe that nursing is a ministry. You are with people at their most vulnerable stages in their lives. I often was asked to pray with people, witness to them, and share our Lord with them. This was a blessing and a privilege for me.
Our daughters are married and have blessed us with five grandchildren. Our oldest daughter, Karen (Jacob) & family live in NY. Daughter Kathy (Shane) Reding & daughters are members of Zion & live in Buffalo, and daughter Becky (Naia) lives in St. Paul.
My favorite hymn (I have many!) right now is “Borning Cry.” It talks about your journey through life with God by your side (although you might not always realize it) and your journey from beginning to end. My favorite Bible verse is Ephesians 2: 8-9,
“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, & that not of yourselves, it IS the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
This was also my dad’s favorite Bible verse. He had me type it up and place it in his room so that when people saw it and asked him about it, he could witness to them.
My parents are my heroes. As I said, they often made sacrifices to ensure that we had a good education but were also there as role models for not only me but for our daughters and their families as well. They nurtured my love for our Lord, with not only regular church attendance, but also church involvement. There is a certain joy that comes from being involved in your church and its community. We have been blessed to call Zion our church home for the past 25 years.
