....one of my favorite threads
Was There Ever A Circuit Overseer That You Couldn't Stand?
by minimus 167 Replies latest jw friends
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seeitallclearlynow
Mine too.
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The_Present_Truth
I stumbled on this old thread via a Google search for Chet Ruch. I was watching Anthony Bourdain tonight and he's in Philadelphia which I believe is approximately where Chet Ruch and his wife Rosie were from. They use to stay with our family when I was young. I see the comments above regarding him being sick. Does anyone know whatever came of him and Rosie? The post above is almost 9 years old already. I wonder if they're still alive?
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Chaserious
Present Truth - I was in a congregation with him a while back, as well as congregations with other members of his family. He was in a regular congregation after he got too old to be a CO. He passed away a number of years ago, I don't remember exactly when, but it was probably not long after people were posting that he was sick.
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minimus
A fine blast from the past !
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MinisterAmos
9 years old???
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The_Present_Truth
Thanks Chaserious. Do you know if Rosie passed away too? Ole Chet ... he used to insist on Breyers ice cream because it only had like 4 or 5 ingredients. My folks made sure it was in the freezer for him. They'd feed them jumbo shrimp and steaks and wait on them hand and foot for the week they were with us, each time they came. Chet snored like a freight train. So bad that Rosie couldn't sleep in the same room with him. So she slept in my room and I slept elsewhere. I didn't mind. She was nice. Chet was full of himself ... kind of like Rush Limbaugh. But I like Rush. Chet encouraged me to reach out to be a ministerial servant when I was just 15. By that time I was already doing the KH's books as the unofficial "accounts servant". So I reached out. By the time I was 19 I had been a regular pioneer, worked at Bethel as a temporary construction worker and was made a MS. Chet left an impression on me as a young man. He was definitely blunt though. Every time I hear a strong Philly accent, he comes to mind.
As I was reading this whole thread, I realized I have forgotten many of the CO's that came and went. I saw Brother Razor mentioned. They stayed with us as well. His wife was attractive for her age, but chilly if you know what I mean. I remember he used to hang upside down on his inverter to stretch. Crazy the things that stick with a person.
I'm kind of glad I can't remember as much as I used to. I guess it's working it's way out of me.
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JW GoneBad
Hatchet men! When I think of COs and DOs for some strange reason the term ‘hatchet men’ comes to mind. Not shepherds, but ‘hatchet men’. Go figure!
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Chaserious
Present Truth - I am pretty sure Rosie passed away also. I vaguely remember that happening, but I really only knew them as a child, and these things kind of fade over time. I am pretty sure they would be over 100 now if still alive. Chet Ruch was the School Overseer when I gave my first #2 talk as a little kid, and I want to guess he was about 80 then, and that was 1987 - 25 years ago. I remember him being intimidating as a school overseer. This was when they would give you counsel from the platform if you didn't do a good job on the counsel point you were working on. If I recall correctly, he wasn't afraid to give out W's. The other thing I remember about him is people used to say he was one of the few circuit overseers who had kids, and I think he liked to promote the idea that the society wanted him to be a CO so badly, they waited until his kids were grown and then sent him out. He also sent his son to college, which was before my time, but I have to think was pretty taboo in the 50's. I guess if you were connected, you could get away with it.
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JW GoneBad
I wasn’t going to name names, but present_truth you forced my hand. I too remember a ‘Lou Razor’. A real piece of work! Last I recall he was sent to the cold country in the mid-west where he belongs. Many Most in our circuit were glad to see him go.
Its’ been said that traveling men are sent by Mother to build-up and offer encouragement to the congregations when all they do is wear out the welcome mat!