BACKHAUS, Ruth M. 1921-2010

BACKHAUS

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 4/3/2010 at 12:15:56

MANLY - Ruth Marjorie Backhaus, 88, of Manly died Friday (April 2, 2010) at the Manly Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

A funeral service for Ruth will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 6, at Bethel United Methodist Church, 403 E. South St., Manly, with Pastor Don Preston officiating. Burial will be in the Manly Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Bride Colonial Chapel, 110 E. Spring St., Manly. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to service time on Tuesday at the church. The family would like to suggest that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church in Manly or to Hospice of North Iowa in Ruth's memory.

Ruth Marjorie Backhaus was born on July 20, 1921, in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, the daughter of George Belar (Bill) and Birdie Mildred (Swank) Craig. At the age of three, she moved with her parents to the Manly area; with her Collie dog Buster riding on the running board of the car. She attended rural school in Lincoln Township and graduated from Manly High School in 1938. Immediately after graduation she became employed at the Manly State Bank.

Ruth was united in marriage to Harry Backhaus on August 12, 1940, at the St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church in Manly by the Rev. Paul Wuebben. After their marriage, she moved to the farm Harry was born on west of Manly, and together they farmed. They were blessed with three children, Glen (deceased), Roger and Donna Mae.

In January 1977, they moved into their newly built home in Manly. In March 2003, they sold their home in Manly and moved to Maple Court Apartments in Northwood.

Ruth and Harry enjoyed taking many motor coach tours together and eating out. Harry, her loving husband of 67 years, preceded her in death on Nov. 16, 2007.

In March 2009, she moved to Circle Terrace Assisted Living Apartments in Manly. Ruth had been at the Manly Nursing and Rehabilitation Center since December 2009.

Ruth enjoyed her life as a homemaker and taking care of her family. She also enjoyed sewing, reading, and jigsaw and crossword puzzles, but her great love was her family and spending time with them. She was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Manly.

Those left to cherish her memory is her son, Roger Backhaus, and his wife, Donna, of Manly, and her daughter, Donna Mae Tyrrell, and her husband, O'Brien, of Northwood; four grandchildren, Connie Moretz and her husband, Paul of Manly, Craig Backhaus and his wife, Lisa, of Clear Lake, Timothy Dellit and his wife, Jacqueline Vuky, of Seattle, Wash., and Kristen Bambrick and her husband, Mike, of Austin, Minn.; eight great-grandchildren, Paige, McKenna and Carter Backhaus, Matthew Moretz, Emilie, Anna and Elisabeth Dellit, and Calvin Bambrick; three stepgrandchildren, Natalie, Andrea and Stefani Moretz. Ruth is also survived by a sister, Dorothy Schulte, of Manly, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Backhaus; an infant son, Glen Alan; her parents, brothers-in-law, Truman Schulte, Arno, Alto and Harlan Backhaus, and Albert Meyer, and sisters-in-law, Laura Meyer and Alma, Velma and Mildred Backhaus.

Bride Colonial Chapel, 641-454-2242. www.colonialchapels.com

[Mason City Globe Gazette online, April 3, 2010 -- www.globegazette.com ]