Ruth L. Ebeling

ST. CHARLES--Ruth L. Ebeling, age 88, of St. Charles passed away at 9:20 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, 2014, at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles following a brief illness.Ruth was born November 18, 1925, on the family farm north of St. Charles to William F. and Eleanora (Schumpe) Benne. She married Lewis F. Ebeling on October 18, 1945, at Salem Lutheran Church in Affton, Missouri. Lewis preceded her in death on September 8, 1997, in St. Charles.Ruth is survived by her four children: Jim (Sharon) Ebeling, Mary Ellen (Mike) Pratt, and Laura (Brad) Meyer, all of St. Charles, and Gary Ebeling of Peoria, Illinois. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Eric Ebeling, Ethan Schoene, Aidan Meyer, and Joel Meyer, all of St. Charles, Rachel (Anthony) Blodgett of Brimfield, Illinois, Ross Ebeling of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a step-granddaughter: Robin (Rob) Flemming of Peoria, and three great-grandchildren: Camden, Alexis and Mason Blodgett, and two step- great-grandchildren: Shelby and Bobby Flemming. A brother-in-law, Harlan (Ruth) Ebeling, sister-in-law, Marian Ebeling, and a number of nieces and nephews also survive her.Besides her husband, Ruth was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Walter and Arthur Benne, and a daughter-in-law, Sue Ebeling.Ruth's early years were spent on the Benne family farm on Highway 94 north of Boscherttown, where Ruth attended a one-room country school. Following her graduation from St. Charles High in 1943, Ruth was working at the F.W. Woolworth Store on Main St. in St. Charles when she met her future husband, Lewis. Ruth was primarily a homemaker, although in later years she served as the bookkeeper for the family business, Ebeling Bros. Heating and Sheet Metal.Ruth was a long-time member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Charles, where her great-grandfather had been a founding member of the church in 1847. She frequently volunteered as a room mother for her children, all of whom attended Immanuel Lutheran School. The Christian education of her children and grandchildren at Immanuel was very important to Ruth, continuing a tradition established by her grandmother, Lena Schumpe, whose generosity was vital to the construction of the present school when it was built in 1951.Ruth was passionate about quilting and was a member of several area quilt clubs. She helped make a number of quilts for the children at the St. Charles Crisis Nursery, and for other charitable causes locally.Visitation for Ruth will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 4, at the Baue Funeral Home at 6th & Jefferson in St. Charles. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 5, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with additional visitation one hour prior to the service. Reverend Scott Schmieding will officiate. Burial will follow in the family plot at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran School or to a charity of the donor's preference.