Helen Rose Hadley

In Memory of Helen Rose (Ruf) Hadley

April 1, 1935 – August 8, 2025

Helen Rose (Ruf) Hadley (90) passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on August 8, 2025.

Helen was born on April 1, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri to Paul W. and Amalia (Maier) Ruf. As the oldest daughter, she helped her mother care for her siblings, William, Jacob, August, John and Jeanne.

Helen grew up in Kansas City, Missouri where she attended Blenheim Elementary and Westport High School. In high school she was an Honor Roll student, cheerleader, Tiger Den Dream Girl ’52, as well as Junior and Senior Class President. She also served as an American Junior Red Cross representative and was President of the All-City Junior Red Cross.

She attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas for her freshman year. At KU, she met her soon to be husband, Del (Delmont) Hadley, a freshman from Topeka, Kansas. On one of their early dates, a photo of the couple on Campanile hill was featured in the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper. Del treasures this photo today.

After her freshman year at KU, she transferred on a scholarship to the Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas (now Texas Woman’s University). There she was a member of the school’s synchronized swimming team, continuing her lifelong passion for swimming. Her proudest achievement was receiving her college degree in Occupational Therapy.

On October 26, 1957, Helen was united in marriage to Del at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Missouri. They shared 67 years of marriage.

After their wedding, the couple moved to Oakland, California where Helen worked as an occupational therapist while Del completed his service in the U.S. Navy out of the Port of San Francisco. She continued her career when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, as Del completed his medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Their first two children, Jennifer and Scott, were born during this time. Following Del’s graduation, the young family moved to Des Moines, Iowa where Del completed his residency.

The Hadley’s settled in Ottawa, Kansas where they raised their three children and Del served as a family practice physician for 32 years. Ben, their youngest child, was born during this time. She was her children’s No. 1 sports fan, driving them to practices and attending almost all their games and events. After retiring, they moved to Overland Park, Kansas to be near family.

Helen loved life and people. She was sweet, kind, outgoing, and quick to smile. She loved talking to people, especially her family. She deeply enjoyed family gatherings, celebrating holidays and birthdays with those she held closest. She was often found in the kitchen cooking healthy meals for her family.

She and Del had a sailboat and spent many weekends sailing with their family at Pomona Lake in Kansas. The family often spent time during the summer at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. They also enjoyed get-aways to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri where they had a second residence for forty years. Other memorable trips in Helen’s life included vacations to the Caribbean, Hawaii, and England.

Helen was very close with her only grandchild, Katie. The girls spent many summer days by the pool, at the lake, or shopping together around town. Some of her favorite memories with Katie include baking peanut butter cookies and spending time in the garden together.

She was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, Kansas and Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Amalia Ruf, and her brothers, William Ruf, Jacob Ruf, and John Ruf. She is survived by her brother, August Ruf, and her sister, Jeanne Ruf.

She is deeply loved and greatly missed by her devoted husband and best friend Del; her children, Jennifer, Scott and Ben; her son-in-law, Ron Miller (Jennifer’s husband); her daughter-in-law, Emmanuelle Hadley (Ben’s wife); and her granddaughter, Katie Miller. She will be missed by her brother and sister, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends and neighbors. Her great legacy continues through those who love her.

No services will be held.