Ruth L. (Wedekin) Cleverley

Ruth L. (Wedekin) Cleverley, 83, of Newton died Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, at her home in Newton.

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24 at the First United Methodist Church, 210 N. Second Ave. E. in Newton. The family will greet friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday at the church.

Memorials to the First United Methodist Church may be left at the church on the morning of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home, please add Attn: Cleverley Family on the envelope.

Ruth, the daughter of Homer E. and Ruby M. (Shaffer) Wedekin, was born on Oct. 25, 1930, in Newton. She was a graduate of Newton High School in 1948. She also graduated from Broadlawns Hospital School of Nursing and Drake University, both in Des Moines.

On Dec. 19, 1954, Ruth was united in marriage with James W. Cleverley in Newton. She was a retired school nurse, having worked in the Newton Community School District. She also had worked at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Ill., as a nurse at the Maytag Company and at the Skiff Medical Center as an OB nurse. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, TTT, Retired Teachers, a book club, a writing club and the Jasper County Historical Society. Ruth loved being with her family and enjoyed making “Care Packages” for them.

Those left to honor Ruth’s memory are her children, James W. (Wendy) Cleverley, Jr. of Newton and Linda (Dennis) Harrelson of Newton; six grandchildren, Joe (Stephanie) Hartgers, Zach Harrelson, Toby Harrelson, Traci Schutty (Dave Wickett), Lindsay Schutty (Richard Hammons) and Alex Cleverley; seven great-grandchildren, Megan, Ashton, Reese, Leileigh, David, Sidney and Stella; and her brother Jan (Dave Reynolds) Wedekin of Pass Christian, Miss.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband James W. Cleverley, Sr. in 1989.

Arrangements are being handled by the Wallace Family Funeral Home of Newton.