Ruth M. Frey

Ruth Marie Frey, 87, of Winterset, died Saturday, November 4, 2017, at West Bridge Care and Rehab in Winterset. A visitation will be held from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 7, at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset, where family will be present to receive friends from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. A funeral service will begin at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 8, at Ochiltree’s with burial to follow in the Union Chapel Cemetery in Madison County. Memorials may be directed to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and/or Middle River Primitive Baptist Church and online condolences can be left at ochiltree.com. Ruth Marie Durham, daughter of Harold and Beulah (Wood) Durham, was born September 6, 1930, in St. Charles, Iowa. She graduated from Martensdale High in 1947 and was united in marriage to Albert Frey on February 4, 1950, at her parents’ home in St. Charles. To this union three children were born and Albert died on August 17, 1988. Before her marriage Ruth worked in Des Moines for Equitable of Iowa from 1948 to 1950. After her marriage, she was a homemaker and farmwife helping with the many activities a family and farm required. She stayed at home until the early 1970’s when she went back to school learning computer key punch. In 1974, she began working at Farm Bureau Financial Services in Des Moines, retiring in 1995. She simultaneously worked for the Sears Corporate Offices in Des Moines from 1988 until her retirement in 2008. She was a member of the Middle River Primitive Baptist Church, serving as church clerk for many years. She was a past member of Hoosier Prairie Club and Madison County Sheep Producers. Ruth was interested in anything her grandchildren did whether helping with 4-H projects, going to school programs, or sporting events up to the age of 85. All this said, Ruth truly was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend who will be greatly missed by many. Ruth is survived by her three children, Gary (Robin) Frey of St Charles; Duane Frey of Winterset and Karen (Gary) Elderkin of Winterset; six grandchildren, Bryan, Joshua (Brittany), and Jennifer Frey; Adam, Evan and Will Elderkin; three great-grandchildren, Elainë, Ayden, and Easton Frey; extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Beulah Durham; husband, Albert Frey; brother, James Durham and a nephew, Donald Durham.