September 5, 1969 – March 27, 2026
David Ruzicka, 56, of rural Charles City, Iowa, passed away after a courageous battle with colon cancer on Friday, March 27, 2026, with his loving wife, Lisa, by his side.
Visitation for Dave Ruzicka will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City where a Rosary will be prayed at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery in Roseville.
David “Dave” Joseph Ruzicka was born September 5, 1969, to William (Bill) and Delores “Dee” Ruzicka (Stiefel). He was raised on the family farm near Roseville, Iowa, where he developed a deep and lifelong love for farming.
Dave attended Charles City High School, graduating in 1988. During his school years, he was actively involved in 4-H and FFA, where he enjoyed showing cattle, hogs, and other projects at the Floyd County Fair. He continued his education at North Iowa Area Community College, earning an Associate of Science degree, and later graduated from Iowa State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and a minor in Agronomy.
Following college, Dave returned home to the family farm, where he dedicated his life to farming, including raising hogs, cattle, and crops. Farming was not just his livelihood — it was his passion.
Dave was united in marriage to Jessica Caldwell in 1997. Although the couple later divorced, they were blessed with a daughter, Alyssa. In 2011, he married Lisa Lines and lovingly embraced her children.
As the oldest of seven, Dave shared a special bond with his siblings. He cherished working alongside them on the farm — whether bailing hay, grinding feed, working cattle, or pitching manure. What mattered most to Dave was the camaraderie, laughter, and time spent together, which made every day meaningful.
Dave had a deep love for John Deere equipment and took great pride in his machinery. Among his favorites was his first tractor, a John Deere 4010. He was especially close to his younger brothers, particularly William (Billy) Jr., with whom he shared a lifelong friendship. Together, they built a bull and calf barn in the 1980s, updated the hay barn, and worked on countless projects over the years. Dave was known for being incredibly handy and always willing to lend his skills to fix or build whatever was needed with a smile.
Affectionately known as the “animal whisperer,” Dave had a natural gift with livestock. Family members often joked that cattle would wait for Dave to arrive before calving, and one cow, Molly, was known to lovingly lick Dave’s head instead of her newborn calf. When loading livestock, Dave would jokingly welcome them aboard the “stairway to heaven,” adding humor at any opportunity.
Dave had a gift for storytelling and loved visiting with others. In his younger years, card games like Euchre and 500 were a staple, but truly, any activity that brought people together brought him joy. He was known for winning the low-score prize at family Euchre tournaments and was just as delighted with a jar of jam as others were with the grand prize. He also proudly held the family record for kicking the ball the farthest at family kickball games.
Dave loved children deeply and treasured his roles as a father, uncle, and godfather. A kid at heart, his laughter, humor, and stories could light up any room.
Faith was an important part of Dave’s life. A devoted Catholic, he gave his life to Christ at a young age and remained a man of prayer throughout his life.
Dave hoped that others could learn from his journey and strongly encouraged early detection through regular screenings, knowing how critical it can be in the fight against cancer.
Dave is survived by his wife, Lisa Ruzicka of Charles City; daughter, Alyssa Ruzicka of Grain Valley, MO; step-sons, Chris Lines (Angie) of Marble Rock, Kyle Lines of Rockwell, and Cole Lines (Angie Staudt) of Rockford; father, Bill Ruzicka (Penny) of Charles City; two brothers, Billy Ruzicka (Sue Aspengren) of Jefferson, Steven Ruzicka of Guttenberg; four sisters, Ann (Bobby) Moon of Clarksville, Cindy (Shane) Uetz of Charles City, Jamie (Brett) Ludwig of Waverly, Cheryl (Joe) Wiltse of Ooltewah, TN; several step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews who will deeply miss him. He is preceded in death by his mother, Dee Stiefel, and grandparents, John and Loretta Ruzicka (Kelly) and Albert and Mabel Stiefel (Brummond).
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