Ruth Anderson

Ruth D. Anderson, of Dayton, Iowa, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2015, at the Grandview Health Care Center in Dayton.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 4, 2015, at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Dayton. Pastor Arhiana Shek will officiate. Burial will be in the Dayton Cemetery following the service. Visitation will be Friday, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Carson – Stapp Funeral Home in Dayton. For online obituaries and condolences please visit carsonstappfuneralhome.com.

Ruth was born April 24, 1923, in Woodbury County, Iowa, and moved to Dayton at the age of 6. She was educated in the Dayton Schools and graduated in 1941.

For two years after graduation, she was employed with the North American Defense Plant in California. After returning to Iowa, she and Robert L. Anderson were married in the home of her parents, Hans and Hannah Hanson, on October 31, 1943. After farming in Stratford until 1956, they moved to Ruth's family farm in Dayton where Bob did carpenter work and they raised their three children. Later, Ruth worked as the school cook for 16 years. In the early 1970s, they built their family home in Dayton. Ruth had a huge garden and enjoyed sharing her beautiful flowers and vegetables with neighbors and friends. Her rose bushes were her favorite.

Ruth was active in her church, Emanuel Lutheran, belonging to ELCW and especially enjoyed the quilting group. She was also involved in Scouts, 4-H, Women's Club, arts and crafts and loved to golf. Other hobbies included sewing, baking, knitting and gardening. She was a dedicated Iowa Hawkeyes fan and enjoyed reading books and playing cards with her grandchildren, who were all precious to her. Ruth loved people and welcomed everyone in for a chat and a cup of coffee.

In 2001, Ruth and Bob moved to the Grandview Apartments, where she promptly began planting flowers. Many of them are still there today, enjoyed by passersby. Following Bob's death in 2006, Ruth moved to the Grandview Health Care Center.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents and brother; husband, Bob; two sons, Dale and Barry; daughter-in-law, Karen; and grandson, Doug.
Surviving relatives are her daughter, Linda Anderson of Des Moines; daughter-in-law, Monica Mauzey, of Maryville, Missouri; and grandchildren, Victoria Rea, Lena Anderson, Kimberly Hartford, Patrick Hart, Katie Hart, Clara Sainte and Laura Maahs; and 10 great-grandchildren. Ruth's family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Grandview Health Care Center who have taken such good care of her these last eight years, as well as the service of the hospice staff for helping make the last few days of her life comfortable and peaceful.