Ellen Elizabeth (Murray) Rukholm PhD, RN

Ellen Elizabeth Rukholm PhD, RN

December 15, 1946 - July 12, 2025

Ellen Rukholm (née Murray) was born in Vancouver in 1946, to William and Elsie Murray.  She was the middle child with two older brothers - William (deceased) and Gavin (Maureen) and two younger sisters - Jean and Kathy (Peter deceased).

Ellen was devoted to family and the nursing profession.  She started her career in nursing by completing hospital training at the Vancouver General Hospital in 1968.  After traveling the world for three years with Toivo, she returned to school to complete her BScN in Nursing at Laurentian University.  She went on to get her Master's Degree in Nursing at the University of Toronto and then her PhD in Nursing at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.​ Ellen worked as a professor in the Laurentian University School of Nursing, rising to be the Director of the School. Before retiring, she took on the role of Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) commuting to its national offices in Ottawa from Sudbury.  Upon retirement Laurentian University granted her the title Professor Emeritus.

During her professional career, Ellen authored numerous academic papers on nursing research.  She was active in the Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nursing and was a founding member of the Canadian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.  The Journal had national circulation and was produced in Sudbury.​ She was a dedicated volunteer with Heart and Stroke and Heart Health Sudbury.  She was very pleased to visit Iqaluit to assist in the establishment of a nursing education program in Iqaluit, Nunavut. She also traveled to Saudi Arabia to advise on the nursing program in Riyadh.

During her busy professional career Ellen raised four children with her husband Toivo:  Kaylene (Gunter Ritter) of Golden, Colorado; Matti (Vanessa) of Tampa, Florida; Jakob (Jaimie Harding) of Calgary, Alberta; and Gavin (Marie-Hélène Laplante) of Peterborough, Ontario. Ellen knitted blankies for all eleven grandchildren: Conlin (Rita Ramsey), Kadin and Kelsen in Bozeman, Montana; Quinn and Mia in Tampa, Florida; Parker and Charley in Calgary, Alberta; and Émeric, Élianne, Emmanuëlle and Élise in Peterborough, Ontario.  Ellen was also a loving aunt to Pam, Ted, Nicholas, Robin, Lee and Mary.

Ellen's other great pleasure was her garden. Summers were spent digging in the soil, pulling weeds, and creating beautiful floral and plant arrangements.

The family is welcoming friends of Ellen to the family home 25 Cerilli Ct, Sudbury on Saturday, July 19, 2-6pm.

The family has established the Dr. Ellen Rukholm Memorial Fellowship Award to assist nursing students in the School of Nursing at Laurentian University. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Ellen by going to https://laurentian.ca/give/make-an-impact and selecting the Dr Ellen Rukholm Memorial Fellowship Award. 

Cremation services provided by Simple Wishes of the North Sudbury and Crystal Crematorium.

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