Ruth J. Birkenholtz

Ruth J. Birkenholtz was born June 18, 1929, in Foster, to Andrew and Edith (Anderson) Maddison. She was married to Ralph E. Birkenholtz from Monroe Aug. 22, 1947.

Ruth and Ralph farmed north of Colfax, from 1948 to 1992. She was an active farm wife, working side by side with Ralph in field work and handling livestock. She loved watching the newborn calves. She did accounting for the farm, corn shelling, trucking, and seed corn businesses. After living on the farm for 60 years, she moved to Newton, in 2008. Ruth kept very busy over the years raising two children, gardening, canning, keeping chickens and doing yard work. Through the years her hobbies included square dancing, leather craft, sewing, playing the guitar and piano, photography, collecting figurines and listening to country music. Ruth was a good cook and loved to have her kids and families gather around her table for birthdays and holidays. No one ever left hungry.

Ruth passed away Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at her home in Newton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph in 2000; her brother, Richard Maddison; and her sister, Bonnie Weyers. Ruth is survived by her son Rick (Joan) Birkenholtz; her daughter, Carol (Dennis) Kaisand; granddaughters, Carrie Conley, Nikki (Rowdy) Twogood and Victoria (Adam) Schmidt; great-grandchildren, Tyler (Brielle) Conley, Kala Twogood and Evan Schmidt; great-great-granddaughters, Ashlin and Ava Conley; and her sisters, Doris (Joe) Emerson and Rose Mary Lamb.

A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 17 at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be designated to the Jasper County Animal Rescue League and may be left at the funeral home.