Ruth Adelaide Cuber 1900-2002

CUBER, FLANAGAN, SCHEETZ

Posted By: Lori Clark (email)
Date: 10/14/2002 at 09:14:49

Ruth Adelaide Cuber joined her family in heaven on Saturday, September 7, 2002 after an extended illness.

Ruth was born on February 19, 1900 to Mary Lavinia Flanagan Scheetz Cuber and John Edward Cuber of Iowa City. Her father owned the barbershop in the St. James Hotel of Iowa City, but died when Ruth was five years old. The sisters and brother were close all their lives. When only 16, Ruth began to work as a nurse’s maid at the Children’s Hospital of the University of Iowa. It was here she developed a burning desire to become a nurse. She fulfilled her dream by graduating from the Moline Public Hospital School of Nursing in January of 1927. Nursing became her life. She worked first at the Moline Public Hospital and the Auburn Park Hospital near Chicago. She culminated her career at the St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights, retiring from active nursing in 1967. During her career, Ruth nursed countless patients back to health and was always greatly beloved by her patients. Ruth returned to her hometown Iowa City in 1972, and resided at 916 North Dodge Street. Ruth was a fifty-year member of Eastern Star and a member of the Amistad Circle.

One of her greatest pleasures was cooking and baking cakes. She made cakes by hand until she turned 100 years old, and often recalled the days of baking cakes in the wood-burning stove of her childhood. Reading novels and poetry provided her great pleasure, as did her videos of old movies. She was a life-long animal lover, and gave homes to dogs, King, King II, Sara and Minnie. Although she never married, her nieces and nephew took the place of the children she never had. Ruth celebrated her 100th. Birthday in year 2000 with family. Later that year she became ill and entered Greenwood manor Nursing Home, where she lived until her final illness. Ruth was proud to have lived in three centuries, the 19th, 20th, and 21st.

Her family includes her nieces, Mary Lou “Diddy” Kringel Johansen and husband, Walter Johansen of Iowa City, nephew, Robert Kringel and his wife, Wanda Kringel of Puerto Rico; Sister-in-law, Mae Cuber; great-nieces, Mary Cuber Kashner and her husband, Jim, Cecelia Cuber Lahr and her husband, Gerald, Patty Johansen and her husband, Mike Crawford and their two children, Kara and Mark of Rochester, IL; Christina Kastell of Cedar Rapids, and great-nephew David Johansen of Hammond, LA; as well as other great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, Mary Katherine, Blanche, and Calvin Cuber who died as children; Sisters Grace Cuber and Coralie Cuber Kringel; and Brother Robert Cuber.

Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 27, 2002, at the Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City with Ruth’s nephew, Reverend Mike Crawford officiating. A memorial fund has been established in Ruth’s name. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Ruth’s family and her services.