Highland, Ruth 1927-2016

HIGHLAND, VERWERS, KOOYMAN, BIRKENHOLTZ, BRANNEN, BRANCEL, DAMMANN, MOFFITT, MCKEEVER, HANSEN, STOVER, CLARK, WILFAWN, CORBETT, BARTEL, ANDERSON, LEE, CORNELISON, RUS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/2/2016 at 15:05:00

Ruth Highland
March 30, 1927 - February 1, 2016

Ruth Highland, age 88 of Monroe, passed away Monday evening, February 1, 2016, at Nelson Manor in Newton. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 5, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Monroe. Burial will follow at Silent City Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Friday, February 5, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the church. The family will greet friends from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Monroe First Baptist Church or Monroe Fire Department. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

Twins Ruth and Robert were born March 30, 1927 at Bondurant, IA to Martin and Cornelia (Verwers) Kooyman. Ruth graduated from Bondurant High School in 1945 and worked at the grocery store in Prairie City where she met and married Marion Lee Birkenholtz on March 2, 1946. After the passing of Marion on February 20, 1964, she took over managing the farm with Jim and John helping extensively with the field work and livestock chores. Ruth and her family appreciated all of the help they were given by relatives, friends, neighbors, and church members during the time after she became a widow and farmer. She also worked at the PAG Corn Plant and Duncan's Café in Monroe.

After her children were married, she married David B. Highland on November 24, 1972. After the passing of David on May 10, 1983, Ruth mowed the CRP ground and enjoyed her small herd of stock cows and then feeding the calves to market weight. She enjoyed visiting with her grandchildren and being involved with their swimming lessons at the YMCA. Later she would utilize the help of grandchildren around the farm for activities such as repairing fence and maintaining the creek waterway, assisting with her diligent attack upon sour dock and other noxious weeds, weeding around her roses, painting buildings, etc...She loved to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to grandchildren.

She remained on the family farm for 67 years before entering the nursing home on October 22, 2012 where she suffered a broken hip on December 14, 2013. She tried to walk again, but eventually became totally dependent upon a wheelchair. She delighted in watching great granddaughter, Emma, use her walker as a jungle gym.

Ruth was a member of the Monroe First Baptist Church where she served as missionary treasurer and played in the bell choir. She was a co-leader for both 4-H and Bluebirds. She also was active in Farm Bureau Women, Monroe Today's Club, and Newton Women's Club. She enjoyed taking trips around the states and to foreign countries with tour groups. She frequently purchased t-shirts and other souvenirs for family members.

Those left to honor Ruth's memory include her three remaining children, 14 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren: Linda and (John) Brannen of Monroe, IA and their family, Joe and (Jenny) Brannen, Zach & Allison, of Pleasant Hill, IA, Deborah and (Bob) Brancel, Nicole & Emma, of Waunakee, WI, and Jennifer and (Justin) Dammann, Jillian & Jayden, of Essex, IA; John (Twin to Jim) and (Andrea) Birkenholtz of Newton, IA and their family, Lisa and (Dan) Hawk, and Levi of Newton, IA, Laurie and (Brian) Moffitt, Brilea and Brooke of Newton, IA and Beau and (Holli McKeever) Birkenholtz, Josalin, Jaxson, Jaceton, & Jaida of Knoxville, IA; The late twin, Jim & (Teresa) Birkenholtz of Monroe, IA and their family, Megan and (Scott) Whitaker, Rowan, Grayson & Carys of Spencer, IA, Trevor and (Jessica) Birkenholtz, Maya & Max of Urbana, IL, Lindsey and (Nathan) LeGrand, & Harrison of Monroe, IA, Jill and (Mike) Hansen of Des Moines, IA; and Susie and (the late, Marvin) Stover of Monroe, IA and their family, Tracy and (Darin) Clark, Quinton and his fiancée (Courtney Wilfawn), Dakota and Tristan of Monroe, IA, Major Jeremy and (Mena) Stover, Ronan and Lochlan of Bossier City, LA, Nathan Stover of Monroe, IA, and Captain Kyle and (Lisa) Stover, & Liberty of Clovis, NM. Also surviving include her sisters-in-law, Esther Kooyman of Bondurant and Pearl Kooyman of Huxley; nieces, Irene Reeves, Roxana Corbett, Lois Bartel, & Marsha Anderson; nephews Walter Lee, Dennis Kooyman & Ron Kooyman.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her brothers Wilbur, Simon, Twin Robert, and Dale Kooyman, her sisters Margaret (Lee) Cornelison and Edna Kooyman; husbands Marion Birkenholtz in 1964 and David Highland in 1983; friend Jim Rus in 1999; son Jim Birkenholtz in 2000, son-in-law Marvin Stover in 2014; and infant niece, Marilyn Kooyman in 1966.

We want to say a special thank you to family and friends for the prayers and support shown to our family and Ruth during her lifetime. ~ The Coburn Funeral Home, Colfax, Iowa 1 Feb 2016.