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Berry, Ruby Wildman
Ruby Wildman Berry, 96, of Burnsville, Minn., formerly of Toddville and Coralville, passed away Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, at Ebenezer Ridges Care Center in Burnsville. Memorial services: 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, at The Rivers Independent and Assisted Living, 11151 River Hills Dr., Burnsville. Private family inurnment will take place at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City at a later date. Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion is in charge of arrangements.
She is survived by her son, Richard “Dick” (Jan) Oliphant of Indian Wells, Calif.; her daughter, Valetta (John) Sueppel of Cardiff By The Sea, Calif.; her daughter, Carol (Dwight) Olinger of Burnsville, Minn.; a son-in-law, Wayne Peak of Poteau, Okla.; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands and her daughter, Kathy Peak.
Ruby was born July 12, 1913, to B. F. and Alta (Hepker) Roy in Toddville, Iowa. Ruby graduated from Toddville High School in 1931 and married Lloyd Wesley Oliphant. They had one child, Richard Roy Oliphant. After Lloyd's death in 1941, Ruby married Ralph Harold Wildman in Iowa City. Ralph had a daughter, Valetta Sueppel. Together, Ralph and Ruby had two children: Kathy Sue Peak and Carol Jean Olinger. Ralph passed away and Ruby married Robert Berry, a longtime family friend. Ruby lived in Toddville before moving to Iowa City with Ralph. They were in the construction business (R. H. Wildman Construction Co.) and owned the Siesta Motel in Coralville for many years. Ruby and Bob spent many years traveling the United States in their motor home before finally settling in Indio, Calif. Bob passed away and Ruby continued to live at Coronado Gardens in Indio. In 2004, Ruby moved to The Rivers Independent and Assisted Living facility in Burnsville, where she made many friends before her recent illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to your local hospice organization in Ruby's memory.
Please sign the online guest book for Ruby's family at under obituaries.
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