Ruth Christina (Thies) BENTON

THIES, BENTON, HAMMERSCHMIDT, CHRISTENSEN, KIRKPATRICK, WELLS, CHRISTENSEN-BAKER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/11/2013 at 15:09:44

April 11, 1915 --- December 31, 2012

Ruth Christina (Thies) Benton, Aged 97 years, 8 months, 20 days, of Janesville, IA died on Monday evening, December 31st 2012, at the Western Home - Martin Center in Cedar Falls of natural causes.

Ruth was born April 11th, 1915, in Hardy, IA, the daughter of Carl and Marie (Hammerschmidt) Thies. Ruth attended the Janesville School System, graduating from the Janesville Consolidated School in 1933. Following her schooling, Ruth helped in area homes and also worked at Regents Café, College Hill Café and in a Drug Store in Cedar Falls. On December 24th, 1936, she was united in marriage to Clyde Edward Benton at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA.

The couple made their home on the Benton family farm where they raised two children, Judy and Tom, and continued to farm until they retired in 1979. They lived on the farm until 1989 and moved to their home in Janesville. In 2008, Clyde's health declined, so they decided to move to the Western Communities Home in Cedar Falls. They were married for 71 years before Clyde's death February 12th, 2008.

Ruth was a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church in Janesville, Rebekahs (International Order of Odd Fellows), the Good Neighbors Club, and in earlier years the "Haylofters" Square Dance Club in Cedar Falls. Her life was religion, family, friends and farming. In her spare time, Ruth enjoyed crocheting, tatting, quilting, & crafts.

Ruth is survived by a daughter and her husband, Judy and Dennis Christensen of Cedar Falls, and a son, Tom Benton of Laguna Niguel, CA; four grandchildren David Christensen (Paula) of Cedar Falls, Steve (Beth) Christensen of Phoenix, AZ, Tanya (Mitch) Kirkpatrick of Cedar Falls, and Daniel (Diane) Christensen of West Des Moines. 9 great grandchildren, Tashana (Dr. Hamilton) Wells, Kendra Christensen-Baker, Aaron Kirkpatrick, Brittany Christensen, Aubree Kirkpatrick, Casey Christensen, Trevor Christensen, Drew Christensen, and Chloe Christensen. 1 great-great granddaughter, Lilah Wells, and many nephews and nieces. Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Marie; her husband Clyde, 6 brothers, Merle, George, Burnard, Howard, Edward, Robert; and 3 sisters, Dorothy, Marion and Marge.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday January, 7th at the United Methodist Church, Janesville IA, with Pastor Mary Schnepf officiating. Burial in Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens - Cedar Falls, IA. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 6, 2013, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly and also for an hour prior to services on Monday at the church.