Ruth Ellen Ginder

Ruth Ellen Ginder passed away on January 13, 2026, at the age of 101, in Osage, Iowa. Cremation has taken place. A memorial mass will be held at a later date at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage. Interment will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Ruth was born March 27, 1924, at her parents’ home southwest of Riceville, the daughter of Leon and Dena (Erbe) Linda. She attended rural school at Douglas No. 8 and No. 9. She graduated from Riceville High School in 1941 and attended Waldorf College in Forest City for one year. Ruth was a waitress at the Maid-Rite Café in Osage when she met Glenn Weldin and they married on October 15, 1951, at the Methodist Church in Riceville. To this union two children were born, a son, Larry, and a daughter, Linda. Glenn died November 16, 1965. Ruth married Clarence Ginder on August 19, 1972, at Sacred Heart Church in Osage. Her attendant was her daughter, Linda, and her son, Larry, sang “Our Father” while playing the guitar. Over the years, Ruth was employed as a waitress at various restaurants and later did office work at the Stacyville Creamery. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church, Osage V.F.W. Auxiliary 7920 and Osage American Legion Auxiliary 278. She enjoyed doing needlepoint, reading large print library books, playing bridge, “500”, cribbage and dominoes.

The above is what Ruth wrote for her obituary. There is much more to know about her well-lived life. Everyone who was privileged to know her will remember her as always kind and gracious, ready with a smile and welcoming spirit. This spirit was strengthened by her daily morning devotions that over the years grew her faith. As her daughter Linda, I observed this practice while she enjoyed her breakfast of poached eggs and ‘Hollywood’ thin sliced toast. Poached eggs continue throughout the generations as a family staple.

She loved and cared for her first husband Glenn throughout his many health challenges that resulted in his death at 44 years of age. During the same time, she was attending to the needs of my brother Larry and me. She courageously guided us through the teen years as our sole parent. She sustained our family with her unfailing love and strength of character during those years. She is loved and cherished by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Phone calls, letters and cards allowed everyone to stay connected. There have been regular visits from Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Washington states over the decades. During her five years as a resident of Apple Valley Place assisted living, there have continued to be many visits. Innumerable card games have been played during those visits with family and also with residents of Apple Valley. The day before her passing she won a game of 500 against her daughter and grandson. Each had won some hands and scored points, so it was anybody’s game. She asked the score and then “Do I have to bid seven to win?” I told her what she could bid to get enough points to win. She bid, made the bid and hence won the game. She was delighted! What a great last game!

At a visit to an appointment, she was asked by the ophthalmologist if she knew what a centenarian was because he had been reading a book about longevity. When he said she was a centenarian because she was 100, he then asked if he should try to be one. She said, “I think 99 is good enough.” I said, “But look at all the visits and card games you would have missed out on.” She conceded that to be true.

She wrote her memoirs a few decades ago, some excerpts and added comments which follow.

When Ruth was 8 her younger sister Lois was born. She felt the baby got all the attention and “Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worm’s big worms, little worms, fat worms, thin worms, and when I die, then people will cry! But after I mulled that over for a while, I would think ‘but Jesus loves me’ and I would sing that repeatedly until I felt better.” Bible School would be held for 2 weeks each Summer. I loved attending that. I still have a blue cross with the words "Jesus Saves" on it that I made and was very special to me. The songs were too; I'm a Little Sunbeam, This Little Light of Mine and I Have The Joy Joy Joy down in My Heart.” She practiced the spirit of the words of those songs in how she lived everyday by extending grace and kindness to all. Her advice: “God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. Persevere always.”

“I had been a widow for five years but there just didn't seem to be many prospects for a meaningful relationship. One night I got down on my knees and prayed ‘God, if it be your will that I meet someone, I need your help and I leave it in your hands.’ Have you heard the story of the young lad who accepted Christ as his savior? His school chums asked, ‘Did you hear God talk? ‘No.’ ‘Did you have a Vision?’ ‘No.’ ‘How do you know there is a God?’ The boy replied, ‘It's like when you are catching a fish, you can't see the fish, but you can feel it tugging on the line.’

I felt God tugging on my heart. Then I met Clarence Ginder at the Knights of Columbus annual beef dinner. He was introduced and had his hand on my arm, and it was so nice and warm that I knew then this must be special. He asked me if l would like to go out to eat some night with him and I said yes. I later learned that Clarence had been praying to meet someone. He said, ‘I had to wait quite a while for Ruth to be available.’ We were married in the Sacred Heart Church in Osage on August 19, 1972.” Ruth joined Clarence as a member of the Roman Catholic faith so that their wedding could take place in the church. She has remained a faithful follower of Jesus through practicing the tenets of the Catholic faith, including regularly praying the Rosary and attending mass.

They spent over 47 years together before Clarence’s passing in 2020. They were very active in many community activities including VFW and Sacred Heart. Clarence became an avid gardener after marrying Ruth; he had more than one garden in different spots around town and out on the Weldin farm. Much canning and freezing, chopping and dicing went on in their kitchen. It was one of the staples of their diet to cook a whole chicken and add their garden vegetables and barley to make a hearty soup. Rarely did they not have soup for their midday meal. They nourished each other’s heart and soul and body.

Ruth is survived by her son, Larry (Lynn) Weldin, Anderson, South Carolina; her daughter Linda Dufresne, Fleming Island, Florida; grandchildren, Chad (Cindy) Dufresne, Fleming Island, Florida; Cassandra (Jeremy) Andrews St. Johns, Florida; Rebekah (Derrick) Ives, North Bend, Washington; Glenn Dufresne, world traveler; Heather Ross, Boiling Springs, South Carolina; Joshua (Kim) Weldin, Iron City, Georgia; Katie (Jeremy), Raleigh, North Carolina; step-grandchildren, Gabrielle Brown, Key West, Florida; Jessica (Todd) Stovall, Austin, Texas; Nancy (Scott) Miramonti, Columbia, South Carolina; and Jim (Karen) Brown, Anderson, South Carolina; 14 great-grandchildren; two nephews, Alan “Butch” Linda of New York Mills, Minnesota and John Mark Linda of Waterloo; and a special niece Joni Weldin Graves of Osage; sister-in-law Marie (Robert) Donner, Osage Iowa; brother-in-law Vernon Ginder, Austin, Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Glenn Weldin; husband Clarence Ginder; brother Rex (Lenore Minnie LaBelle) Linda; infant sister Dorothy; sister Lois (Richard) Casberg; Richard (Angela) Ginder, Roger (Marcella) Ginder and Paul (Jeanne) Ginder; Sylvia (Vernon) Ginder; sister-in-law Edna Ginder; and niece Dianne (Linda)Doss.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mitchell County Historical Society. Donations can be made:

MCHS, PO Box 51, Osage, IA 50461, Phone: 641-832-2574, email: mchsosage@gmail.com, Web: mitchellcountyhistoricalsociety.org

Hoff Celebrations - Champion Chapel of Osage is assisting the family with arrangements.