Keith Ruble honored for care of creation

To see Keith Ruble in his element, one has only to accompany him into nature. His love for and wisdom of nature are unmistakable, and he is willing to share it.

On Nov. 15, Saint Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute’s Catholic Social Ministry Committee honored Ruble by dedicating five dogwood trees in his honor at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods near the log cabin chapel that Ruble helped to construct.

Ruble recently retired after nearly 40 years as the Vigo County Parks superintendent. He has attended Saint Joseph Church for more than four decades.

“We wanted to raise up to others a person who was an example of good stewardship of God’s creation,” said Rita Burns Senseman, chair of the Catholic Social Ministry Committee at St. Joseph’s.

“Hopefully this recognition will serve not only as an honor for Keith but to inspire others to care for God’s good Earth,” she said.

Susan Ruble, Keith’s “first wife” of 42 years, says that Keith’s connection to nature is just a part of who he is.

“It’s in everything he does; he’ll go out in the woods and just look at the trees. He’ll notice all the changes, all the birds’ nests and the squirrels.”

“He doesn’t see himself as doing such wonderful, marvelous things – it’s just him,” she said.

“Guardian, steward, builder,” are words inscribed on the dedication plaque to describe Ruble.

In acknowledging the recognition, Ruble read from the book “The Things Trees Know” by Douglas Wood.

“Be a shelter to someone.”

“Welcome rainy days.”

“Know that big trees are just little trees that keep growing.”

“Grow where you’re planted.”

“It’s really special,” Ruble said of the recognition. It’s a nice gesture to be recognized as a person who improves things and makes things nice with God’s creation.

And a tree in his honor seems just the right distinction.

“Trees are one of my favorite things,” he said. “Not only the living trees, but their wood. I enjoy working with wood.”

Perhaps his 20-plus hand-made log cabins are the wood projects Ruble is most known for, the log cabin chapel at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods among them. Ruble helped to recreate the chapel, finished in 2012, as a replica of the first place foundress Saint Mother Theodore Guerin visited when she arrived in 1840.

“It’s a neat place to have a tree planted in your honor, in a place where a saint lived,” Ruble said of the location at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

“Sometimes I sit here just to be quiet – it’s a really special place.”