Obituary of Ruth Heller

A funeral service for Ruth Heller, age 90, of Spirit Lake, will be held at 2 pm, Saturday, January 5, 2019, at Grace Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake. Interment will be at Memory Gardens in Spirit Lake. Visitation will begin at 5 pm, Friday, January 4, 2019, with the family present from 5-7 pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Ruth Lavonne Heller, the daughter of Bert and Beatrice (Dixon) Baldwin, was born January 3, 1928 in Algona, Iowa. After graduating from Algona High School in 1945, she taught rural school for two years. In 1947, Ruth was married to Raymond Heller and they had three children, Rebecca, Rachael and Robert. They moved to Illinois in 1951 and Ruth worked at APSA in Joliet until 1973 when she retired due to health reasons. She was elected the first female mayor in the state of Illinois in 1970. Ruth was active in the Herscher American Legion Auxiliary, the Buckingham Women's Club, two bowling leagues and was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church. After they moved to Spirit Lake in 1977, Ruth was active in Grace Lutheran Church, enjoyed bowling at Corner Lanes, golfing at Indian Hills and playing bridge. She was a member of the Okoboji Womens Club, TOPPS and volunteered as a Pink Lady at Lakes Regional Healthcare. Ruth enjoyed fishing, cooking, gardening and socializing. Ruth passed away December 26, 2018 at Accura Healthcare in Spirit Lake, Iowa at ninety years of age. She is survived by her children, Rebecca Jacobsen Weller (Wes), Rachael Bishop and Robert Heller (Elaine); nine grandchildren, Kimberly (Jeff), Amy (Willie), Klint (Stacy), Nikki, Michelle (Matt), Jessica (John), Ben (Julie), Max and Bronté; fifteen great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Arlene Schumacher. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Raymond; sister, Alma Marshall; brother, Bert Baldwin; and two nephews, Bruce Baldwin and Mike Schumacher.