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In Memory of Charles Walter “Walt” Ruckel, Jr. 1927 - 2012 Charles Walter "Walt" Ruckel Jr., 85, of Niceville, Florida, died peacefully on Saturday, April 21, 2012, surrounded by his family. He was born on Jan. 1, 1927, in Pensacola, Fla., to Charles Walter Ruckel and Marion Plew Ruckel of Valparaiso, Fla. He attended local elementary and high schools, completing his last three years of high school at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he graduated in 1944. In 1944-45, he attended Davidson College in Davidson, N.C., and North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Ga., as a member of the U.S. Army Specialized Training Reserve Program. Walt served in the U.S. Army Air Corp as an airplane mechanic from 1945-47 at Keesler Field, Miss., and Hickam Field, Hawaii, being honorably discharged as a corporal. He graduated from Soule' Business College in New Orleans in 1948. In 1974, he graduated from Okaloosa-Walton Junior College in Niceville. On Feb. 2, 1948, he began working as a bookkeeper and teller in the bank founded by his grandfather, James E. Plew, Valparaiso State Bank in Valparaiso (later Valparaiso Bank & Trust, then Vanguard Bank & Trust). He was made Assistant Vice President in January 1950 and President in 1951, following the death of his father. He served as Chairman of the Board until December 2004, when he was granted Board Member Emeritus. He was a graduate of the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State Universtiy. He worked in the real estate development business for 56 years under the name Ruckel Properties, Inc., which began on June 17, 1955, and has been actively developing real estate for homes and businesses in the Niceville, Valparaiso and Fort Walton Beach areas. His most recent real estate developments were Hawk's Landing residential community, Swift Creek residential community, Heritage Gardens Cemetery and Heritage Gardens Funeral Home. He was a member of the Niceville-Valparaiso Rotary Club since it's chartering in 1948 and served as its president in 1954-55. He was elected "Man of the Year" for southern Okaloosa County by the Rotary Club in 1957 and again in 1970. He was active in local civic affairs, including the Boy Scouts, Chamber of Commerce and United Way, all for which he was past president. He was also active in the Florida Bankers Association. He was Chairman of the Air 2 Force Armament Museum Foundation and was Campaign Chairman of the successful funds drive that raised $1,200,000 for the building of the museum on Eglin Air Force Base property in 1985. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Civil Air Patrol (Florida Wing Staff). Walt was a member of the Krewe of Bowlegs (and a past Captain Billy Bowlegs), Fort Walton Yacht Club, Bluewater Bay Sailing Club, Rocky Bayou Country Club and the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville. His activities included swimming, sailing, canoeing, camping, hunting, horseback riding, photography, reading, genealogy, and flying aircraft. He held a commercial pilot's license with single engine land qualification, sea, glider, instrument ratings and instructor ratings. He had a passion for travel, visiting places across the USA, Central America, Australia and most of Europe. He is survived by eight children, Charles Walter Ruckel III (Molly), Stephen Walter Ruckel (Rhonda), James Plew Ruckel, Gregory Meaut Ruckel (Rose), Martin Tille Ruckel (Phyllis), Marion Ruckel Skalicky (Andre), Sharon Joyce Ruckel and Philip Bond Ruckel; and 12 grandchildren, John Charles Ruckel, Sean Michael Ruckel (Lena), Kristin Ruckel Dickson (Oakley), Kathleen Noel Ruckel, Wava Ruckel Adams (Darren), Howard Madison Ruckel, Marysa Ruckel Kirby (Scott), Matthew Stephen Ruckel (Kristy), James Plew Ruckel Jr., Kaitlan Christy Ruckel, Jenna Marguerite Skalicky, and Sofia Elizabeth Skalicky; and 15 greatgrandchildren, Shelby Elizabeth Ruckel, Hannah Kate Dickson, Brayden Brian Adams, Matthew Owen Dickson, Oliver Martin Adams, Noah Logan Dickson, Benjamin Matthew Ruckel, Mathias Doyle Ruckel, Vance Timothy Kirby, Maddie Grace Dickson, Gabriel Stephen Ruckel, Jonas Hammer Ruckel, Samuel Aaron Ruckel, Matthew Campbell Ruckel and Waylon Parker Ruckel. Funeral services were held on Thursday, April 26, at the First Presbyterian Church of Niceville. Interment followed at the Heritage Gardens Cemetry. Heritage Gardens Funeral Home of Niceville was in charge of the funeral arrangements. Mr. Ruckel was a Life Member and a faithful supporter of the GSOC. In addition to the accomplishments mentioned above, he was noted for his genealogical research and his interest in history. Walt remained active in many of his interests up until his death, including participation n the annual Saturday In The Park festival in Valparaiso on April 21st, 2012. Obituary from the Northwest Florida Daily News, April 24, 2012 Photographs were on the paper’s web site as a slide show
Civil War Sesquicentennial Selected Highlights of May 1862 http://blueandgraytrail.com May 1 Infantry under Benjamin Butler [US] begin entering the city of New Orleans May 9 General David Hunter [US] frees the slaves in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida May 9 Confederates withdraw from Norfolk, destroying the base as they leave May 10 Federal mortar boats, shelling Fort Pillow, are attacked by a makeshift Confederate fleet. The U. S. responds in force, with ironclads. Although the 8 Confederate boats manage to sink 2 ironclads (the Cincinnati and Mound City) the battle of Plum Run Bend or Plum Point ended when the Rebels withdrew to Fort Pillow May 10 Confederates destroy Naval Base at Pensacola May 11 Confederate soldiers scuttle the C.S.S. Virginia near Norfolk May 15 Benjamin Butler issues Order Number 28, directing his troops to treat any woman who insults them as they would a woman "plying her advocation (a prostitute)." It was this order that led to his title, the Beast of New Orleans John Tyler’s Long Lineage John Tyler, president of the United States from 1841 to 1845, served as the nation’s chief executive after the death of William Henry Harrison. An interesting fact recently reported by Fox News is that two of John Tyler’s grandchildren are still alive. President Tyler’s son Lyon Tyler, one of 15 children, was born when President Tyler was 63. Lyon Tyler had a son Lyon Tyler, Jr.,born in 1924, and another son Harrison Tyler, born in 1928. Lyon Tyler was in his 70s when these sons were born. Both Lyon, Jr., and Harrison are still living, 167 years after their grandfather left office. When I Die by Katie Merritt, Niceville, Florida When I die, put my family tree book in my casket. I want to take it with me. When I find Grandmother Rebecca Tunnell White, I will ask her who her parents were and was she born in Green County, Tennessee or Sullivan County, Missouri, and why did she die so young and leave three small boys and a baby girl? What year? I know she was in the 1880 census in Kansas but Grandpa White was a widower in the 1885 state census. And now for my great great grandfather: Were you the Stacy Reeves who married Sarah Dicks, or were you the Stacy Reeves who married Sarah Lawrence; the parents of my great grandmother Mariah Reeves Snider. Her death certificate stated her father was Stacy Reeves and her mother was Sarah. Now how am I supposed to know? You both were married in Mason County, Kentucky and both moved to Putnam County, Indiana in 1833 and both died there. Okay, which one? Now for great great grandfather Andrew Garret Wendt. How come you deserted from Denmark and Napoleon’s army dressed like a woman and sneaked aboard a boat for America? Why did you change your name from Banquin to Wendt when you got here? Was it easier to spell or were you hiding from something? How come your sons were both deserters from the Civil War? Like father like sons? How come? Before Butler’s Order After Butler’s Order Harper’s Weekly May 19 Lincoln rescinds David Hunter's emancipation of the slaves in his department and uses the opportunity to call for a gradual emancipation May 20 Lincoln signs the Homestead Act, giving citizens 21 years or older the right to buy 160 acres of land in the West May 25 Halleck arrives outside of Corinth, Miss. It has taken him 26 days to march 20 miles, virtually unopposed May 30 Confederates evacuate Corinth 3 And now for Dutton Lane II -- what was your wife’s maiden name? Mary is all I have. Where were you married? In Maryland or Pennsylvania? You are one of my many mysteries in the long line of Lanes. Did your father, Samuel, stay in Maryland or did he come to Tennessee with you and your brothers. Also did you marry Nancy Thompson in Green County or was that your son, Dutton,Jr. He married twice. So many questions unanswered. So many years of searching. Will they all be answered when I cross over? I’ll come back and let you know. From Issue 53, Summer 1991, A Journal of Northwest Florida, published by the GSOC
Page 1: THE GSOC NEWSLETTER The Genealogica
Page 5 and 6: WILLIAM RUFUS BURRIS 1842-1935 CONF
Page 7 and 8: PUTTING YOUR ANCESTOR'S LIFE ON A T
Page 9 and 10: GSOC INFORMATION Officers for 2012

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