Ruth Irene Behnke

Ruth Irene (Harris) Behnke, was born June 22, 1920, the youngest of the four daughters of Alonzo Harold Harris and Paulina (Bernhardt) Harris. Shortly thereafter, her 10-year-old Aunt Louise came to live with her family. Louise was regarded as one of the sisters. Ruth's childhood was spent on a farm south of McCook, Nebraska near the Republican River. She and her sisters toiled in the familys vegetable fields. Ruth sold produce with her mother to regular customers who anticipated their weekly deliveries as they were known for being fair, honest and good growers. Life was not all work and no play. The sisters had a swing over Driftwood Creek and once hopped on a cellar door that was floating down the creek during a flood. They all survived that incident. After graduating high school from McCook, Ruth entered McCook Junior College and received her teaching certification. At College, she noticed a quite handsome young man who was working his way through school as a janitor. Ruth, one day as a joke, hopped on his dust mop. As payback, he took a seat right beside her on the bus going to one of the colleges Road Shows. In 1941, Vernon Richard Behnke rode to California on a tire strapped to the back of a motorcycle but not before eloping to Kansas to marry Ruth Harris, the love of his life. Two daughters, Rebecca Jean and Catherine Marie were born to this marriage. At the end of WW II, Vernon came back to Nebraska to rejoin Ruth who had returned to McCook, teaching school at District 8. They purchased a small farm north of Indianola where they remained for the rest of their working lives. They were about the only Democrats in Frontier County and always served on the election board. Both were active in St. Catherines Catholic Parish in Indianola. Ruth saw to it that her daughters were active in 4-H and she passed along her considerable skills as a cook, seamstress and gardener. Ruth learned to crochet at age 4. Later she took up quilting, knitting, and china, water color and oil painting. Ruths output was prodigious! In 1991 Ruth and Vernon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Ruth turned her last cartwheel on that 100 degree plus July day then the family engaged in an epic water fight with hoses and milk buckets. Everyone but Ruth got soaking wet. Shortly thereafter, Ruth and Vernon moved to a small house in Indianola having retired as farmers. A few years after her loss of Vernon, Ruth moved to Boulder, Colorado to be near her daughter Catherine. For the past 8 years Ruth was a resident at Juniper Village, a memory care facility in Louisville, Colorado. She passed peacefully there on November 10, 2016. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents Rusty and Paulina Harris; her Aunt Louise Corcoran; her sisters, Virginia Weskamp, Joy Weskamp and Marjorie Weskamp and their husbands; her son-in-law, Bill Schweiger; her husband, Vernon Behnke; and her daughter, Rebecca Altberg. Ruth is survived by her daughter, Catherine Schweiger; son-in-law, John Altberg; grandchildren, John (Beatrice) Altberg II, Mark Altberg, Billy Schweiger III, Annie (Chris) Rodriguez; and great grandchildren, Stefan and Nick Altberg and Miguel, Diego and Gabriela Rodriguez. The family would like to thank the staff at Juniper Village for the compassionate and loving care given to Ruth over the years. Contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to St. Catherines Parish, Alzheimers Association or any other organization of your choosing. Rosary will be recited Friday, November 18, 2016, 9:30 a.m. at St. Catherines Catholic Church in Indianola with Mass of Christian Burial following at 10:30 a.m. Father Greg Pawlowski will serve as Celebrant. Interment will be in St. Catherines Cemetery. Friends may send condolences to the family at www.herrmannfh.com. Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook is in charge of the arrangements. Rosary

Friday, November 18, 2016 9:30 AM

Friday, November 18, 2016 10:30 AM