Ruth Ann Berendes
January 13, 2017Share using:
Ruth Ann (Ruthie) Berendes, of St. Donatus, Iowa passed away peacefully Friday, January 13th, 2017 surrounded by her loving family.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 17th, 2017 at St. Donatus Catholic Church with Father Jerry Kopacek officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 16th at Leonard Funeral Home and Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road in Dubuque where a wake service will be held at 3:00 p.m.
Ruthie was born June 25th, 1938 in Dubuque, Iowa, the daughter of Harold and Bernice (Ruden) Thomas. She graduated high school from the Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque, where she invited Earl Berendes Jr. to a school dance and later married him on October 19th, 1957 at St. Joseph Prairie Church. They shared 58 wonderful years together before his passing December 24th, 2015.
Ruthie was a remarkable, faith-filled woman, and dedicated her life to her family. Earl and Ruthie started Berendes Garage, where she did the book work, picked up parts, swept and cleaned the garage and made lunch. After her sons took over the Garage, she filled her time with the things she loved to do - quilting and gardening. Ruthie created a quilt for each of her grandchildren upon graduating from high school and for great grandchildren at their birth. Many of these quilts will be on display at her service.
Ruthie also had a passion for gardening. Her flowers were as beautiful as her spirit and her vegetables were as bountiful as her love. She taught her daughters how to sew and can fruits and vegetables and helped her sons make deer sausage; mixing the seasonings and spices to perfection. Ruthie made the best homemade noodles; something she often did with her sisters. She also loved to shop with her daughters - making a “Sam's Run” was one of her favorites. Ruthie loved her family deeply and was always available to watch the grandchildren or great grandchildren, cook a special dessert, make lunch for her sons or lend a compassionate ear. Her presence in the lives of her family will be missed immensely.
Together, Earl and Ruthie raised six children; Joan (Larry) Steffy, of St. Donatus, the late William "Bill" (Janie) Berendes of Bellevue, Patricia Berendes, of Dubuque, James (Joyce) Berendes and John (April) Berendes, both of St. Donatus and Susan (Francis) Clancy, of Dubuque, 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Her sisters, Jeanne (Jim Pancratz) Ambrosy, and Marian (Pat) Marshall, all of Dubuque; sister-in-laws; Anita (Eldon) Rowan, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Phyllis Hutter, of Dubuque, and brother-in-law Melvin “Mel” (Marilyn) Berendes, of Dubuque, many nieces and nephews and very special friends David and Margaret Bies and Milton and LuAnn Weber.
Ruthie was preceded in death by her beloved husband Earl, her parents Harold and Bernice Thomas, her father and mother-in-law Earl Sr. and Sylvia Berendes, her oldest son, William, "Bill" Berendes, and brother-in laws Loras “Butch” Berendes, Robert "Bub" Ambrosy, and David Hutter.
The family would like to thank Ruthie's many friends for their prayers, the nurses and staff at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the University of Iowa Hospital Chaplain, Father Tim for his prayers and compassion, and the Dubuque Area Hospice for their loving care and support.
