Boyd (Bud) Jacob Ruud

MALTA- Boyd (Bud) Jacob Ruud, 90, a lifelong farmer/rancher in the Malta Community, passed away in Billings, Montana on December 22, 2018, of natural causes.

The family will received friends Friday, Dec. 28 at the Kirkwood Memorial Chapel. Funeral services were Saturday, Dec. 29 at the Malta Lutheran Church. Interment was in the Malta Cemetery. Condolences for the family may be left at http://www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.

Boyd was born July 25, 1928, to Jacob Ruud and Signe (Carlson) Ruud who homesteaded in the Bennett Lake community South of Malta. Throughout his young life, he attended country schools South of Malta and graduated from Malta High School in 1946.

He began farming and ranching in 1948 at age 19 when his father passed away. Bud married Esther Bostrom on April 7, 1951, and they continued to farm and ranch, as well as custom harvesting for many neighbors until Bud retired.

Bud was a wonderful man who was highly respected by his family for his unselfish ways of always placing them above himself. He was known to be able to fix most anything and was always there for friends and neighbors if they needed an extra hand. Bud was very artistic and produced many drawings that his family still displays and cherishes. His sketch of Scandia Lutheran Church is well known in the community. He especially loved old-time country music and playing his various musical instruments. Over the years he formed an undeniable bond with grandson, Jason, teaching him all that he knew about farming and ranching and how to fix any kind of machinery.

Bud is survived by his wife Esther, of 67 1/2 years; his four daughters Janice (Bob) Parsley, Charlene (Bruce) Williams, Dorene (Dave) Henry, Nancy (David) Cole, seven grandchildren; Jason, Joshua, Chad, Cari, Clint, Jake and Kayla and ten great-grandchildren; Zachary, Addison, Rowdy, Laina, Laira, Tana, Dahlia, Reuben, Aiden and Liam.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Orral Morris, who drowned when he was 18 months old and his sisters and their spouses; Della (Kelly) Pearson, Jean (Richard) Hendrickson, and Doris (Charles) Frye; nephews, Vernon Hendrickson, Mark Pearson and Don Frye; nieces, Karen (Hendrickson) Hoffman, Gloria (Frye) Brown and great-nephew Wesley Murphy.