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Fr. Joseph A. Ruther, O.F.M
1908-1984
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FRIEDSAM
MEMORIAL LIBRARY Archives
Biographical
Pages
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The bird man
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 | As Franciscans often are, Fr. Joe was a lover of natural
things. Here one can see an example of this, with Fr. Joe would
walking all over campus being followed by the birds. Always
with a smile and a bag of bird seed, Fr. Joe would simply exist
while feeding creatures of God. |
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| Fr. Joe's personality was one of quiet kindness and shy
compassion. One would experience his or her individual importance
in the world when having a one-on-one conversation with Scruffy
Joe. This is because of the overwhelming kindness that was the
nature of Fr. Joe Ruther. |
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| Fr. Joe would spend countless hours with his bird, wonderfully
named Stupid, in the bindery. Indeed a lover of
animals, Fr.
Joe kept Stupid in the bindery where he would frighten young women
and leave gifts for you to find as though the basement of the
library were the bird's personal litter box. Stupid, much like
Scruffy Joe, was a truly endearing character at Saint Bonaventure. |
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| As one can clearly see Fr. Joe was full of life and his magnificent
sense of humor followed him around campus as if another bird seeking a
free meal. |
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Last updated: 29 April 2004
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