Obituary of Ruth Evelyn Richards

Ruth Evelyn Richards was born March 27, 1932, on the outskirts of the booming metropolis of Blanchard, Iowa, and died early in the morning of November 7, 2023, at her home in Clarinda. Her parents were Otto and Pauline Gust; Ruth was the second of seven children.

Ruth married Charles George (now deceased) from Blanchard after high school, and they had nine children. After her marriage to Charles, she married Tom Richards (now deceased) from Creston, Iowa.

Ruth’s service to our country was raising nine children. She described it as being “similar to having her own platoon”. She worked at part-time jobs as a single mother while living south of Shenandoah, Iowa, for many years. She then moved to Clarinda where she attended Iowa Western Community College and earned a certification in home health. She was employed and retired from Page County Health Care after 20 years.

After retirement, Ruth took care of her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s for two years until Pauline died. She went on to care for elderly people in their homes and, in so doing, helped many families in the care of their loved ones. Ruth was well known as an intelligent, highly competent, humorous and caring person by many people. To know her was to love her.

Ruth enjoyed classical and old-time gospel music. But she loved, above everything else, the old traditional country music. She would listen to the current country tunes and say, “That’s not country!”

She had her favorite music programs every Saturday evening and her favorite ministers on Sunday morning. She had a vast source of knowledge about music, musicians, and many other topics.

Ruth was a car enthusiast, and her favorite memory of herself was driving her 1986 Saab around and taking curves on highway 71 to Maryville with her dog. She loved driving and traveling with family. She was always up for a road trip somewhere.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Pauline, her sister Vera, her son David George, her grandson, Nathanael George, granddaughter Tamara George, and her dogs Lizzie and Lexi.

She is survived by her siblings, Kenneth (Sue) Gust, Lowell (Leota) Gust, Janice Sparks, Joan Strange (Steve Harpole), Keith (Patsy) Gust. Her

children, Evelyn George, Rick George, Joycelyn George (Richard Vander Mey), Michael George, John George, (Kathy Keller) Juli Haberer (Gary Clouse) Randy George, and Lisa (Jarred) Frost. Her twelve grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.

Special thanks to Jennifer Lasley, and the staff at Pure Health Services, for your excellent care of Ruth.