Dietiker, Ruth Augusta 'Topping'

Ruth Augusta “Topping” Dietiker, 93, died Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, at Peace United Church of Christ, Monticello, with interment at Oakwood Cemetery. Pastor Peter Wenzel and Pastor Dave Lenth will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left .

Surviving are five children, Jacob (Teresa) Dietiker, Daniel (Julie) Dietiker, William (Judy) Dietiker, all of Anamosa, Nanci (David) Paulsen of Monticello, and Brenda Dietiker of Decorah; 15 grandchildren, Daniel (Connie) Dietiker, Timothy (Rochelle) Dietiker, Renee Cheatham (Jamie Butts), Angie (Max) Carter, Jason (Marcia) Dietiker, Mindy (Jason) Chapman, Aimee (Zeferino) Sosa, Jennifer (Andy) Eley, Brian (Tara) Dietiker, Heidi (Gary) Boysen, Heather (Rob) Paulson, Nanci (Mike) Tuel, Ashley (Adam Sires) Meyer, Alex Meyer (Kelley Dotson) and Andrew Meyer; two stepgrandchildren, Brad (Jenny) Walker and Shawn Walker; 20 great-grandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; and a special niece, Barbara (Ken) Harms.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jake in 1986; her parents, Robert and Hulda; a brother, Russell Topping; a sister, Edith Atwood; and a grandson, Abraham Meyer.

Ruth Augusta Dietiker was born April 23, 1917, west of Monticello, in Hardscrabble. She was the daughter of Robert Morris and Hulda Sophia Ladehoff Topping. Ruth grew up on a farm south of Monticello and attended school at Wayne No. 9. On June 4, 1936, Ruth married Jacob Dietiker at the German Reformed Church (Peace United Church of Christ) in Monticello. To this union five children were born.

Ruth and Jake farmed all of their married life, first in rural Cascade. Then in 1945, they moved south of Monticello in Wayne Township. In 1950, they bought a farm in Cass Township where they retired from in 1968 and moved to Monticello. She worked at the Monti Cafe for eight years and worked with the school hot lunch system for 10 years.

Ruth was a member of Peace United Church, Cass Homemakers, Lovell Homemakers and Church Ladies Aid and Quilt Club. She taught quilting, crocheting and knitting. Her hobbies were crafting and craft shows. Ruth had a passion for quilting and crocheting. She will be missed greatly by those closest to her.