Obituary

Ruth Schmidt Peters Wiebe

Obituary

Ruth Schmidt Peters Wiebe, 89, passed away on Sunday (July 3, 2011) in Elkhart, Ind.

She was born on Feb. 19, 1922, to David and Mary Ensz Schmidt at Bethany Deaconess Hospital in American Falls, Idaho.

Ruth grew up on the family farm near Aberdeen, Idaho. She graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1940. She was baptized and joined First Mennonite Church in Aberdeen on May 16, 1937. She was a faithful member of the church and was active in King's Daughters and Ladies Mission Society. She also served as a girls' mission society leader.

Upon graduating from high school, she had planned to enter nurse's training. However, students weren't accepted into the program immediately after high school. Therefore, she worked as a nurse aide and cook at the Shultz Memorial Hospital in American Falls.

Her plans to become a nurse changed when she married Ernest Peters on May 23, 1943. He was serving in the U.S. Army as a medic. She felt privileged to be able to spend a few months with him in Maine and Mississippi where he was stationed. To this marriage a daughter, Marianne Ruth, was born. Six months later Ernest was deployed to Europe. In April 1945, he was killed in a truck accident in Germany, just weeks before the war ended, leaving Ruth widowed with a baby daughter.

For the next six years, Ruth enjoyed working in Dr. Frank Harms' office in Aberdeen.

On June 13, 1951, Ruth was married to Henry E. Wiebe, who was the best man at her first wedding. To this marriage two children were born, Gordon Wayne and Dorothy Lucille. While the children were young, she was a stay-at-home mom.

Later, Ruth was employed at the University of Idaho Agricultural Research and Extension Station in Aberdeen. She worked there for 11 years until her mother's health required that Ruth remain at home to be her caregiver.

As a loving mother and wife, Ruth provided for her family by gardening, canning, and freezing produce and sewing clothing for her children and for herself. Her hobbies included quilting, crafting and building outdoor furniture to be enjoyed by the family.

Following retirement, Ruth and Henry enjoyed traveling and visiting their children. Especially memorable was a trip to Berlin, West Germany, to visit Dorothy who was working there with MCC. They also were able to visit other European countries at that time.

Ruth and Henry sold their Aberdeen home in 1990 and moved to Kidron-Bethel Village, a retirement center in North Newton, where they became members of First Mennonite Church. They enjoyed life, making new friends and participating in community and church activities. She served as a volunteer in various capacities at Kidron-Bethel.

As Henry's health began to fail due to Parkinson's Disease, Ruth devoted herself to caring for him. Even after he moved to Kidron-Bethel Healthcare, she faithfully spent each day with him. Henry passed away on Sept. 5, 2003.

While Ruth was still healthy, she was able to enjoy trips to Texas, Oregon and Indiana to visit her children. She also enjoyed a cruise to Alaska with her daughter, Marianne.

Ruth was able to live by herself until she suffered a stroke in April 2009. Because of the effects this had on her, she moved to an assisted living apartment at Kidron-Bethel. She remained there for several months until she moved to Elkhart, Ind., to be closer to her daughter, Dorothy. She lived in assisted living at Hubbard Hill Estates for 10 months before transferring to Hoosier Home Care to receive increased nursing care. This residence is a small group home for the elderly, which provided a peaceful and loving environment for the last 10 months of her life. She passed away following a brief illness.

Survivors include three children, Marianne and spouse, Curtis Harper, of Richland Hills, Texas, Gordon and spouse, Marva Wiebe, of Hillsboro, Ore., and Dorothy and spouse, Steve Wiebe-Johnson, of Elkhart, Ind.; and four grandchildren, Adrienne Harper, Dana Harper, Julian Wiebe-Johnson and Michael Wiebe.

She was preceded in death by the late Henry E. Wiebe and the late Ernest Peters; her parents; one sister, Esther Schritter; and an infant sister, Evangeline.

Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Petersen Funeral Home, with family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A private family burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Newton.

Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at First Mennonite Church in Newton. Pastor Anita Kehr will preside.

Petersen Funeral Home of Newton is in charge of the arrangements.