Schaben, Ruth Marie (Schiltz) (1927 – 2021)

SCHABEN, SCHILTZ, KENKEL, FAHN

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 3/10/2021 at 14:30:14

Name of deceased: Ruth Marie Schaben (nee Schiltz)

Aged: 93 yrs, 7 mo, 10 days

Residence: Dunlap, IA

Born: June 28, 1927; Westphalia, Shelby County, IA

Died: Feb. 7, 2021; Dunlap, Harrison County, IA

Funeral services: Private Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, Feb. 12, 2021; St. Patrick Catholic Church, Dunlap, IA

Survived by: Children, Jay (spouse, Karla) Schaben of Dunlap, IA, Jeri Schaben of Omaha, NE, Jim (spouse, Cindie) Schaben of Dunlap, IA, Jack (spouse, Linda) Schaben of Spirit Lake, IA, Joe (spouse, Beth) Schaben of Dunlap, IA, Jean Schaben of Phoenix, AZ and Jon (spouse, Julie) Schaben of Dunlap; 16 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Jacob and Margaret (nee Kenkel) Schiltz; husband, Jim; infant daughter, Geraldine; granddaughter, Alexandria Schaben; sisters, Alice Fahn and Edna Schiltz; brother, Walter Schiltz

Education: Graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School, Earling, IA, Class of 1945

Religious affiliation: Member, St. Patrick Catholic Church; member, Alter Society and the Catholic Daughters

Military service: n/a

Marriage: Jim Schaben; June 15, 1948; location not provided

Employment: With her husband, they established a bar business in Earling, IA; they went on to purchase the Dunlap Livestock Auction in 1950. In 1974, they built the current facility. Ruth worked in the office at the auction house for many years, but with the purchase of a new computer system for the auction in the early 1990’s, Ruth began running the hydraulic gates for the auction for more than 25 years. She was a wonderful caregiver for Jim in his later years as he battled Alzheimer’s.

Hobbies/Interests: With Jim, they loved to travel including trips to Australia and Germany; loved a good game of euchre; mostly she loved being a grandma, particularly her trips with her grandsons to the horse races to watch her last horse, Dixie Surge, win several races. Ruth had a great sense of giving back, most recently with a donation for the new fire station in Dunlap, IA.

Sources: foutsfuneralhome.com