Ruth (Morris) ALLENDER

ALLENDER, STULL, MORRIS, ANDERS, SEITZ

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/27/2007 at 10:01:35

Ruth Allender, 79, Holdrege, NE, died October 18, 2007 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, NE. A celebration of her life was held October 21 with an open house hosted by her daughters at their home in Holdrege. Ruth was born in Putnam County, Missouri on July 18, 1928, to Ira and Velma (Stull) Morris. The family bought a farm in Van Buren County, Iowa near Douds, where she was raised. Ruth graduated from Douds High School in 1945 and immediately went to work at age 16 for the FBI in Washington, D.C. It was during WWII, and she celebrated VJ Day there and watched Harry and Bess Truman on the balcony of the White House. After two years she moved back to Ottumwa where she met and married Melvin E. Allender on January 15, 1949. Ruth worked in public schools in Iowa as a secretary and media center director. Melvin died in November 1988. She lived for a time in Belmond and then moved to Holdrege in 1993 to be with her daughter Karen. Ruth was active in the Legion Auxiliary in Iowa as past president. She was a member of the Belmond United Methodist Church and the Belmond Arts Council. She taught and played bridge and played a mean game of rummy.

Ruth is survived by her daughters Susan (Lloyd) Anders of Mesa, AZ, Karen Allender of Holdrege, and Sandra (Dale) Seitz of Golden, CO; grandchildren David, Amanda and Scott; and six great-grandchildren. The family honored Ruth's wish for cremation, and a memorial has been established in her memory.

October 23, 2007
©Belmond Independent 2007