Obituary of Linda Lou Ruess

Linda Lou Voss Ruess was born August 14, 1957 in Ft. Riley, KS. The daughter of the late James R. Voss Sr. and Sophie (Rossert) Voss.

Linda was the daughter of a decorated career Army soldier. Her family settled in Columbia, SC in 1962. She graduated from Spring Valley High School. She continued her education at Midlands Technical College, obtaining her degree in business. Linda married and give birth to her son Michael at Fort Jackson, SC. As a family they would relocate and live in Germany (Bamberg and Heidelberg) and Ft. Campbell, KY; finally settling in Clarksville, TN in 2000. Linda was a career civil servant of over 25 years in the medical field, working in Army hospitals in Bamberg, Germany, Ft. Campbell, KY, Heidelberg, Germany, and finally at the Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC where she would retire as a medical coder in 2018. Linda was a volunteer, very patriotic, an absolute advocate for military service members, families, and veterans. Linda loved travelling locally and abroad.  She most enjoyed visiting her son, daughter in law, and granddaughter making wonderful family memories. Linda thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with her twin sister Brenda. She loved the beach and mountains. She frequently travelled with Brenda to visit her “big Sis” Sherry Schell at the Laurel Mountain Inn in Pickens, SC.  Linda loved flowers and gardening, and sharing the love of her German heritage with close friends and family. Linda was fluent in German, and was exceptionally proud of her connection to her extended German family in and around Bamberg, Germany and in her local community.

The legacy continues through her son Michael Ruess (Megan) and granddaughter Everly Alexandra Ruess of Katy, TX her twin sister Brenda Sue Voss Podiwel (Ted) and brother James R. Voss Jr (Lori).  She is also survived by her niece Erin Corley and her family of Pelion, SC; niece Amy Owens and family in Alachua, FL; nephew Steven Voss and family in Sunrise, FL; nephew Glenn Podiwel of Columbia, SC; nephew Walter Podiwel of Portage Lake, MI; and extended family in Bamberg, Germany.

Please consider a donation to the MDS Foundation or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The family wishes to thank Dr. James Williams, Dr. Fred Kudrick, and the oncology staff at South Carolina Oncology Associates, Leukemia Center at MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston, TX, and the Lexington Medical Center oncology doctors, nurses, and medical support, and MSA Hospice for their exceptional care and loving support.

The family will receive friends at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park on Tuesday, April 23, from 1:30PM until 2:30PM.  Funeral services will follow in the chapel of the funeral home at 2:30PM with Reverend Judy Brown officiating. A private entombment will follow the chapel service.