Ruth (Braymen) PALS DUKE

DUKE, BRAYMEN, WINFREY, PALS, RICHMOND, WITTOCK, FITZ, BORUP, HIGGINS, POTTS, MARTINEZ, DESANTIS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/16/2012 at 12:55:57

September 14, 1934 --– May 4, 2012

Ruth Duke, age 77, of 1803 West Second Street Extension, died May 4, 2012, at the Boone County Hospital. Her body has been cremated and a Memorial Service will be Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Open Bible with Rev. Phil Waldo officiating. Her cremains will be buried in Minden, Louisiana, at a later date.

Ruth was born on a farm in Page County near Shenandoah, the daughter of Bertram and Helen (Winfrey) Braymen. She graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1952 and then Iowa State University in 1956. During the summer, she attended Drake University. On September 14, 1957, she married Louie Pals in Missouri, Iowa. The couple divorced in 1970. On August 17, 1972, she married George Duke in Ames.

Ruth was a school teacher, librarian, and artist. She began teaching in Belmond, Iowa, and also Madrid, teaching art and science. After her marriage to George, they moved to Arkansas and Oklahoma where she taught in small private Christian schools. After George died, she moved back to Boone. Ruth attended the Open Bible Church of Boone. She enjoyed arts and crafts, reading, vegetable gardening, and design painting on clothing. Ruth also volunteered at the Boone Goodwill Store where she was librarian in the book department. Ruth loved writing short stories, poetry, and coloring books with stories; many of them were published.

Ruth is preceded in death her parents, husband George, two sisters, and a brother. She is survived two sons Vance Pals of Boone and Todd Pals and wife Reyna of Salisbury, North Carolina; a step-son David Duke of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two step-daughters Liz Richmond of Denver, Colorado, and Pat Wittock of Weatherford, Oklahoma; three brothers: Donald Braymen of Ames, Allan Braymen and wife Pauline of Burns, Oregon, and Ralph Braymen and wife Judy of Shenandoah; three sisters: Mary Fitz and husband Bob of Ames, Pat Borup and husband Roger of St. James City, Florida, and Anna Higgins and husband Ed of Owasso, Oklahoma; five grandchildren: Sarah Potts and husband Cody, Elizabeth, Heather, Valerie, and Gerald Pals; three step-grandchildren Jose, Itzel, and Bryan Martinez; and three great-grandchildren Garrett DeSantis, and Bethany and Lillian Potts.

Friends may call at the Open Bible Church Tuesday evening from 7 until 9 p.m. and on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until service time. Memorials in Ruth's name may be given to the Open Bible Church. Schroeder Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall is in charge of arrangements.

Boone News-Republican -- Boone, Iowa
May 8, 2012