Ruth Benke

RUTH ANN BENKE

Monticello

Ruth Ann Benke, 77, of Monticello, died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, surrounded by her family at home in Onslow. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Monticello. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Paul Baldwin will officiate

Ruth Ann was born April 3, 1940, in Dyersville, the daughter of Herbert and Mary Germaine (Stronck) Westemeier. She graduated from Xavier High School and married Richard H. Benke on Oct. 11, 1958, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Dyersville. Together they moved to Monticello in 1963 and established RB Electronics in 1968, from which they retired in 2001.

Survivors include her children, Rebecca Hoist of Dubuque, Russell (Denise) Benke of Onslow and Rodney (Maria) Benke of Annandale, Va.; three grandchildren, Richard Easterling and Ryan and Maya Benke; two sisters-in-law, Gail Westemeier of Manchester and Mary Jo Benke of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers-in-law, Ronald (Linda) Benke and David (Mary) Benke, all of Cascade; a cousin/stepsister, Mary (Richard) Lakeman of Dyersville; and many nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dick, in 2003; a son, Randall, in 1981; a grandson, John Randall Easterling in infancy; two sisters, Eileen (Donald) Huberty and Norma (Red Wilson and Russ Pritchard) Pritchard; a brother, Dave Westemeier; brothers-in-law, Dennis Benke in infancy and Alan Benke; and a sister-in-law, Deanne (Lawrence Kemp) Manza.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.