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RUTH GANGSTEAD

Ruth Gangstead died August 7, 2018, at the Marian Home, two months short of her 100th birthday.

A memorial service is planned at Badger Lutheran Church for a later date which will be announced. Burial will be at Hovey cemetery northwest of Badger. Arrangements have been entrusted to Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Ruth is survived by her daughter Vivian and her husband Gale Nore of Duncombe IA, daughter-in-law Carol Gangstead of Garland TX, grandchildren Stacey and Kyle Richardson, Steven and Alex Gangstead, Greg Nore, Tonya Nore and Tammy and Derrick Walker and great grandchildren Grant, Hayes, Summer, Ivy, Miles, Gavin, Dalton, Makinley, Layla, Lanette, Valorie, Derrick Jr, Tia and Nahla. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister and brother-in-law Esther and Earl Hoover, husband Lloyd in 1993 and son Mervin in 2011.

Ruth Elizabeth Johnson was born October 16, 1918 to parents Art and Mae Messerly Johnson. She attended Cooper and Colfax township country schools east of Fort Dodge and graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1935. She did housekeeping and helped with child care in various homes and married Lloyd in 1947. They farmed north of Badger on the century farm for many years. Ruth and Lloyd enjoyed going to dances and traveled in their small camper to almost every state. Ruth moved into Fort Dodge in 2002 and to the Marian Home in 2012. She was an active member of Badger Lutheran Church for the majority of her life and enjoyed all that came with it, which included helping with the annual Norwegian supper as well as other numerous church events. She liked to do “behind the scenes” work such as pulling weeds at the parsonage and resetting old stones at the cemetery. She regularly visited people at nursing homes and helped people wherever there was a need. She always thought of others before herself. Ruth was a huge recycler and lived a frugal life. Her grandchildren will remember the delicious meals that she prepared and the fun on the farm. She was the typical farm wife of her generation, working both outside and inside without benefit of a microwave, crockpot or any other convenience that we now take for granted.

Ruth’s family thanks the wonderful staff at the Marian Home for their loving care and also Dr. Secor and the hospice staff who were so very kind and supportive, Pastor Scott Meier for his visits, and those who faithfully came to visit her and to volunteer for the weekly Protestant church service and other activities at the Marian Home.