CHATHAM, Va. — Published New Testament theologian, devout member of the clergy for over 66 years, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, John Samuel Ruef died Oct. 31, 2016, after a period of declining health in Gretna, near his home in Chatham, Va.

He was born Jan. 24, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., to John E. and Leota Rice Ruef. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and Harvard University, he was ordained in 1950 to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church. He married Jane Margraves Holt of Park Forest, Ill., in 1951, in Church of the Holy Family, Park Forest, a parish he founded the year prior.

He served as professor of New Testament at the Berkeley Divinity School in New Haven, Conn., as canon for the Diocese of Western New York in Buffalo, N.Y., and as dean and president of Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Nashotah, Wisc.

He was also chaplain at Chatham Hall, where he taught religious courses, served as rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Chatham, Va., and for many years served as supply priest for several nearby congregations including St. John's, Mt. Airy, St. Paul's Peytonsburg, St. John's Halifax and Trinity Episcopal Church in South Boston, Va. His thoughtful preaching and pastoral care touched many lives during his dedicated ministry following his teaching career.

A long-time member of the Chatham Rotary Club, he was distinguished as a Paul Harris Fellow and had previously been a member of the Hartland Rotary Club in Hartland, Wisc. While in Wisconsin he was able to pursue his athletic passion for tennis and sailing, and with his daughter, learned to cross-country ski.

He loved working with wood, creating furniture and household items still used by many in his family. When his children were young, he bought them what became a faithful family pet, a miniature dachshund, Schatze, which facilitated many long walks, indoor “shenanigans” and countless humorous legends during her 19-year life. Later, the much larger Bernese mountain dogs, Cyrano, Checkov, Sir Prize, Rosa and Zachary, filled the house during empty-nest years. He was an avid reader of theology, philosophy and history.

He was predeceased by his parents. In addition to his wife of 65 years, he is survived by his four children, Marcus John Ruef and his wife, LaJuan, of Elgin, Ill., Adam Taylor Ruef and his wife, Dale, of Farmersville, Texas, Seth Holt Ruef and his wife, Lisellotte, of Luxembourg, and Sarah Ruef-Lindquist and her husband, Peter Lindquist, of Camden, Maine. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Andrew Walter Ruef and his wife, Alice, of Columbia, Md., Kristin Nicole Becker and her husband, Benjamin Becker, of Plano, Texas and Orscholz, Germany, Lindsey Frizzell of McKinney, Texas, Sara Warren and her husband, Kevin Warren, of Nashville, Tenn., Daniel Ruef and his partner, Catherine Federspiel, and Nadia Ruef and Mark Ruef, all of Luxembourg; and four great-grandchildren, Teegan Frizzell, Collin and Connor Becker, and Levi Ruef.

Services will be held later this fall, at Emanuel Episcopal Church, 66 North Main St. in Chatham, Va.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be made to the charity of one's choosing, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 26, Chatham, VA 24531 or the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201-3698.