Penny Lee Ruchti-Anderson 1956 - 2002

RUCHTI, ANDERSON, CRAWFORD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/7/2019 at 19:44:38

Mapleton Press
17 October 2002

To hold services Saturday for former Mapleton resident

Penny Lee Ruchti-Anderson was born to Richard and Marion Crawford in Manchester, Connecticut on November 27, 1956. She is survived by three brothers and three sisters, Roy and Lana Johnson and their two children, William (Bill) Johnson and his five children, Doug Johnson (deceased) and his seven children, Bonnie and Kenny Huth and her three children, Sharon and Dan Birton and her two children, Cheryl Crawford and her three children.

Penny (Sami) and Duane (Dude) were united in marriage February 14, 1985. They lived in Mapleton, Iowa with their two children, Tara and Jason. In 1993 they became Foster Parents where they took in several children. They adopted one Anea whom brought great pride to them. They called her their own. In 1998 Penny moved to Spokane, Washington, where she was married on May 18, 2000.

She is survived by her loving children, Tara Davis and her friend, Pete Wright, and three children, Samantha, Dexter and Justin, all of Onawa, Iowa; Jason Ruchti and his three children, Joshua, Zoee and Drake, all of Mapleton, Iowa; Anea Ruchti of Mapleton, Iowa; Lexi and Josh Anderson of Spokane, Washington; and many foster children since 1993. Some of the foster children are David and Allen, Tyrese Murray, Russell Bush, Sami Jo, Josh, John, Torrie Dunagan and her two children, and Mindy Zimmerman and her five children:

Penny was a very active woman. She was a truck driver for many years, a CNA, an EMTI with the Mapleton Ambulance, Bell's Kwik Stop, and a loving mother. Penny worked at other occupations where she was a "Jill of All Trades". There was not anything that she could not do. She became a foster mother in 1993 bringing much joy to all her children. She has had over 100 foster children in her home. She enjoyed working in the yard making it beautiful with plants and flowers. She loved doing challenging craft projects.

Penny enjoyed traveling with her family to Old Orchard Beach in Maine every summer since she was a small child. Penny liked to help everyone. Making life long friends came easily to Penny no matter where her travels took her. Penny has made a significant impact on her family and friends.

Penny, who died September 23, 2002, lays at rest with her mother, father, brother, grandparents, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Services will be held at Armstrong" Funeral Home in Mapleton at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19.