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Colonel Larry Dean Ruggley, United States Army (Retired), age 71 of Butler, KY passed away unexpectedly on September 3, 2023. COL Ruggley retired from the United States Army after 34 years of service where he was a Special Forces Green Beret.  

He will always be remembered as a loving husband and devoted family man, enjoying his final years in his favorite role of Grandpa. He loved the life that him and his wife built, driving his tractor around the farm, and could be seen at his grandchildrens’ sporting events.  

COL Ruggley was born in Bluffton, Ohio and preceded in death by his parents Harold and Mildred (Grismore) Ruggley. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Marie Ruggley; his children, Monica Ruggley, Sabrina (Christian Hutchinson) Hazen, Brian (Erica) Ruggley and Annina Ruggley; his sister Peggy Ruggley; his nephew Ray (Sue) Ruggley Jr.; and grandchildren, Nicholas, Cameron, and Madison Mandel, Ava Ruggley, Nathaniel Hazen, Ella Ruggley, Kaylin Parsons and Grace Hutchinson.

COL Ruggley began his military career in 1971 when he enlisted in the Army and served in the Army Security Agency, being Honorably Discharged in 1973, after which he attended Lima Technical College and Ohio University.

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Bluffton hosts Wayne Trace on September 11 

By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School varsity volleyball team went to Arlington Tuesday evening, September 5, and came away with a four-set win.

Bluffton won the non-league match by a 25-23, 15-25, 25-10, 25-17 count.

The Pirates improved to 6-2 after the victory.

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By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School girls soccer team defeated visiting Northwest Conference foe Crestview 5-0 in the league opener at Steinmetz Field on Tuesday, September 5.

The defending league champion Pirate girls improved to 2-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NWC with the win.  

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Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast meetings resume this Friday, September 8 after a summer hiatus. The meeting will be held at 7:00 a.m. on the third floor of the Town Hall.

Citizens National Bank is the breakfast sponsor, Kira's Flipside Grill will be providing the breakfast and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) will provide the program.

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The orange barrels on SR 103 at I-75 separate traffic from the work that will create the longest single addition to Bluffton's bike and pedestrian pathway network. A pathway will also be built on County Line Road in coming weeks.

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Ali Chohan, MD, a physician specializing in family medicine, has joined the team at Putnam County Primary Care-Ottawa, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System.

Dr. Chohan earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn (Dearborn, Michigan), followed by a medical degree from the American University of Antigua College of Medicine (Antigua and Barbuda). He completed his residency in family medicine at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (Kalamazoo, Michigan).

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The Lima/Allen County Safe Community Coalition is gearing up for the 25th annual Safe Community Awards and asking the public for nominations of outstanding individuals who live or work in Allen County. 

Members of the community can be nominated for their work in outreach, enforcement, rehabilitation, education, and emergency services.

All members of the public are encouraged to make nominations using the attached form HERE.

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  • Saturday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m.
    9th Annual Quarry Farm Jam

The 9th annual Quarry Farm Jam has been rescheduled from Saturday, September 9, to Saturday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m.

The Quarry Farm Nature Preserve & Conservation Farm, Pandora, hosts the organization’s annual Jam for musicians and music enthusiasts. Whether you play an instrument like a virtuoso or just like to pretend, sing along or listen, people of all ages are invited to this family-friendly event.

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Bluffton University will host a September 17 reception for artists Sue Hershberger Yoder and John Yoder whose work is currently showcased at the Grace Albrecht Gallery of Sauder Visual Arts Center.

Gallery hours in the Sauder Visual Arts Center are 9:00 a.m-5:00 p.m. weekdays and 1:00-5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

The event will celebrate their exhibit “Liquid Illumination 2.0” which features projective illuminations and framed prints on silk. According to the artists’ statement, “The liturgical atmosphere of this installation is intended to acknowledge that, like the simultaneously sacred and superficial qualities of rose windows and illuminated manuscripts, artistic and religious ideologies are also always malleable and open to interpretation.”

The reception will take place from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17. The artists will share about their work and answer questions at 1:30 p.m.

Arts at Bluffton events are made possible due to generous support from donors including David Bertsche ’57 and James ’83 and Rhonda (Louis ’84) Fox.

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Letter to the editor from the Bluffton Ride to Remember Committee.

The Bluffton Ride to Remember Committee and the Lion’s Club and Foundation want to thank all who helped to make the 2023 Ride to Remember a great success. We especially want to thank the Bluffton Community Church for welcoming the Ride to begin and end at its church on Main Street, Bluffton. The facilities were excellent and the members of the church were very welcoming. 

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