Ruth Estella DeVault Leeper (2007)

LEEPER, DEVAULT, MAPES, JENKINS, GOEDTKE

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 2/28/2007 at 13:11:44

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
February 27, 2007

RUTH E. LEEPER, Indianola

Ruth E. Leeper, daughter of O.J. and Estella DeVault, was born on a farm near Earlham on August 20, 1909. She died peacefully on February 23, 2007 at the Village Care Center in Indianola. On November 28, 1928, she and Merle J. Leeper was the first couple to be married in the Penn Center Church, and they lived on a farm near Earlham for nearly 70 years. Merle preceded Ruth in death in 2000. Ruth was active in her church, serving as Sunday School teacher, pianist, president of the Women's Society and as chairman of the Official Board.

She is survived by three children: Lola Mapes (Franklyn) of Urbandale, Ross Leeper (Shirley) of Indianola and Janet Jenkins (Richard) of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Ruth's (Mamo's) grandchildren are Gary and Craig Mapes, Jeffrey Leeper and Kristen Goedtke. She has two step-grandchildren, Carol and Richard Allen Jenkins. She also has fifteen great-grandchildren and one great- great-granddaughter. Ruth leaves her family with loving and wonderful memories as well as dozens of china painted mementos and a variety of stitchery creations. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday March 1, 2007, at the Penn Center Methodist Church in rural Earlham with burial in the Penn Center Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 28, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Kuhn Funeral Home in Earlham where the family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be directed to her church.

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Winterset Madisonian, March 7, 2007

Ruth Leeper

Ruth E. Leeper, 97, a former rural Earlham resident, died Feb. 23, 2007, at The Village Care Center in Indianola.

Funeral services were held Monday, March 5, at Penn Center Methodist Church in rural Earlham with Pastors Charlie Thompson and Bob Williams officiating. Burial was at Penn Center Cemetery.

Ruth Leeper was born Aug. 20, 1909, to O.J. and Estella DeVault of rural Earlham. Her marriage to Merle J. Leeper took place Nov. 28, 1928, in the Penn Center Church. She and Merle resided on their farm in rural Earlham for 70 years. Ruth was active in her church — serving as Sunday school teacher, pianist, president of the Women’s Society and chairman of the official board.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

She is survived by two daughters, Lola Mapes of Urbandale and Janet Jenkins of Hot Springs Village, Ark.; one son, Ross Leeper of Indianola; and four grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Kuhn Funeral Homes of Dexter, Earlham and Redfield.