C. Hugh Ruth

C. Hugh Ruth, 86, of Winterset died Monday, May 28, 2012 at his home. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Friday, June 1, 2012 at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset. A visitation will be held 2 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 31st, with family present to receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Burial will be in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, near Van Meter, Iowa. Memorials may be made to the Madison County Historical Society and Friends of the Winterset Library. On-line condolences may be made to the family at www.ochiltree.com. C. Hugh Ruth was born February 9, 1926 in Peru, Iowa; the son of Cheryl F. “Chick” & Lenore (Fredrickson) Ruth. He graduated from Peru High School in 1942. As a child, he attended Silliman Country School #8. He joined the Navy in 1943 and was discharged in 1947. He farmed near Peru until joining the United States Air Force in 1950 and retired from the Air Force in 1967. He served as an electronics superintendent. After the Air Force, he returned to farming until 1983. He married Loretta Bost in 1953. To this union two sons were born, Joseph H. and William J. Loretta died in 1994 and he married LaNelle Bentz in 1995. He served on the Greenfield Farmers Electric Cooperative Board of Directors 1971-1986 and was on the Central Iowa Power Cooperative Board for 6 years. He was a past Master of the Masonic Lodge and past Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star. He was a member of the First Christian Church and long-time member of the American Legion. Hugh was a life member of the Madison County Historical Society. He enjoyed card games and traveling, having visited all 50 states and all continents but Antarctica. Hugh is survived by his wife, LaNelle Bentz of Winterset; his sister, Ilene (Mike) Holmes of Winterset; his sons, Joe (Nancy) Ruth of Clinton, IL and Bill Ruth of Corpus Christy, TX; 4 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.