Memorial Service for Marvin L. Ruebsamen, Hospital Chaplain

Obituary: Longtime San Jose, CA Hospital Chaplain
dies at 83

Reverend Marvin L. Ruebsamen, 83, died the evening of May 7th 2014. Marvin passed away peacefully at
his home in Seal Beach under the attentive care of his wife Jinna Yoon, family
members, and his hospice team. He battled prostate cancer for almost 2
years. 

Marvin was the hospital Chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in San
Jose, California where the “Marvin L. Ruebsamen Chapel” is named in his honor.  

In the 1970’s, he was an advocate for hospice care and family counseling
in hospitals. During his three decade tenure at Good Sam he touched the lives
of countless patients, staff, and community members through weddings, funerals,
and grief counseling.

He was a 30-year member of the Rotary Club of Los Gatos and later in
Lake Elsinore. His work to serve others included decades of Chaplaincy service
and hospice counseling throughout San Jose, as a Methodist missionary in Seoul,
Korea and as an associate pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Lincoln,
NE.

In the 1960’s, as a theology student in Dallas he
participated in non-violent civil rights demonstrations including sit-ins at
lunch counters and stand-ins at segregated movie houses.  

In the late 60’s, while working as the Director
of Hillside House- a home for U.S. service personnel in Seoul, he created Korean-American
cultural exchanges, bible studies, and volunteer opportunities for U.S.
military. After settling in California, he regularly volunteered with the
homeless shelters in downtown San Jose, with his rotary club charity events,
and took several home building missions to the south in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina.

Marvin was an expert handyman and tinkerer with an innate ability
to take apart broken things and reassemble them to working order. He painted
automobiles, tuned engines, and converted two industrial vans into first-class late
70’s family camper conversions.  He loved
helping his children and loved ones with projects from soap box derby winning
cars to Adirondack furniture building.

Born on a farm in 1931 outside Giltner, Nebraska, he was the
middle child of seven siblings. His mother, Alberta died of indeterminate cause
when he was ten years old. Eventually he and his siblings all left the farm and
moved throughout the world, always maintaining close family bonds.  

After High School and a year of farming with his dad, Marvin
joined the navy during the Korean war years, spending time in California, Guam
and at sea.  He returned to Nebraska to
finish college in Lincoln, NE and pursue his passion for the ministry.

He is survived by his loving wife Jinna Yoon and her daughter
Michelle Miller, Philadelphia, PA.  And
by his children with Ellen L. Brown: Randal Ruebsamen, Colorado Springs, CO; Mark
Ruebsamen, Morgan Hill, CA; Gary Dean Ruebsamen, Los Angeles, CA; Denise
Putland, Ben Lomond, CA.  And by his
step-children with Marilee Ruebsamen: Jill Bergkamp, West Palm Beach, FL; Rev. Jay
Moses, Wheaton, IL; and by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his brothers Neil Ruebsamen, Grand Island,
NE; Dale Ruebsamen of Huntington Beach, CA; Wilbur Ruebsamen, Anderson, MO; and
sister Merna Valen, Irvine, CA; and preceded in death by his brother Darrel
Ruebsamen and sister Beverly Arne.

Born: April 28th,
1931, Giltner, Nebraska the son of Dean and Alberta Ruebsamen

Died: May 7th, 2014, Seal
Beach, California

Education: Clinical Pastoral
Education (CPE), Post Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate;  Master
of Theology, Southern Methodist University; BA Nebraska Wesleyan University; Giltner
High School, Nebraska,

Memorial: 3pm Saturday, May 17th at the Leisure World Community
Church, 14000 Church Place, Seal Beach, CA.