Ruth Lepke

June 15, 2005

Ruth Jane Williams Lepke was born Sept. 14, 1917, the youngest child of William Owen and Laura Gehrke Williams of Scranton. She attended country school and graduated from Scranton High School in 1934. Ruth worked for her father and several families in the community, including the Wendell Eason family. Ruth married Harry Lepke on Dec. 26, 1940. They farmed with Harry’s parents northeast of Grand Junction and raised three children, Lana, Kip and Larry. Ruth was known for her large flower gardens. She could play music by ear and enjoyed entertaining people. And she loved animals, both pets and wildlife. Ruth and Harry were honored in 1990 with the state runner-up windbreak award from the Izaak Walton League of America’s Iowa Division. She instilled in her family her deep faith in God. She looked forward to the day when she could sit with Jesus and thank Him for her blessings: a loving family. Ruth was proceeded in death by Harry, her husband of 62 years, and her siblings Owen (Buddy) Williams, Francis Williams and Winifred Williams. She is survived by three children and spouses, Lana and Larry Miller of Dana, Kip and Gloria Lepke of Perry and Larry and Phyllis Lepke of Story City; five grandchildren and spouses: Malinda and Darrell Geisler of Bondurant, Derek and Suzanne Lepke of Dalhart, Texas, Mike and Tracie Miller of Dana, Emily and Lamont York of Perry and Matthew Lepke of Bloomington, Ind.; seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Two sisters also survive her: Ellen Johnson of Jefferson and Mary Whitver of Aransas Pass, Texas. Memorials are suggested to the Central Christian Church or the Greene County Medical Center Foundation.