Ruth W. Huxsol, 88, of Charles City, died Sunday, August 10, 2008, at Port Charles in Charles City.
Funeral services for Ruth Huxsol will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City. Pastor David Werges of the Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church will officiate. Burial will be in Sunnyside Memory Gardens rural Charles City.
Friends may call at the Hauser Funeral Home from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Visitation will continue Friday an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Ruth Wilhelmina Wulff Huxsol was born September 24, 1919, in Floyd, Iowa, to Herman and Arvilla (Molstead) Wulff. Her father was a butcher and her mother was a homemaker.
Ruth spent her early years in Floyd and was a graduate of Floyd High School.
In the late 1930's, Ruth was married to Kenneth Kellogg, a Charles Citian who went on to become a decorated veteran of World War II. They had two sons, Richard and Donald. Ruth and Kenneth later divorced.
In May of 1968, when Ruth's apartment was devastated by the Charles City tornado, she lived briefly with her sister, Lois. A week later, however, Ray Huxsol proposed and they were married. They were together for 17 years, until his death in 1985.
Between marriages, Ruth became the consummate "single mom," at a time when that term had not been invented. Working as a waitress at Cora's Counter, she and her young
sons lived in a small apartment that was upstairs, over the restaurant.
Never complaining and always working hard, she encouraged her boys to excellence. Though a humble person, she was imbued with patience, persistence and endurance, and she was filled with well-deserved pride throughout her life that both sons graduated from the University of Iowa and enjoyed success in their careers.
Ruth was a kind, but strict, disciplinarian. Though she "ruled the roost" and few escaped her no-nonsense approach to life, she always accomplished her goals with a sense of humor and a twinkle in her eye.
Always in charge and never letting anyone forget it, she was affectionately referred to by her sons, and most of her sons' friends, as "The Chief."
Ruth was well-known, as well as admired and respected, by her customers at Cora's Counter. Many were local businessmen who tirelessly tried to tease Ruth, but learned-often the hard way-that Ruth's wit and good humor were enough to disarm anyone who dared to cross her.
Ruth was a member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church and in earlier years was active in many Moose activities. She also contributed her time to the community, helping others, serving as a Pink Lady at the hospital and as a long-time volunteer at the Community Food Box.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband and her sisters, Iola and Margaret.
She is survived by her sons, Richard (Clarice), of Denver, Colorado, and Donald, of Novato, California, and her sister, Lois Thoman, of Charles City, as well as four grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
In her later years, she had a very special relationship with her nephew, Michael Thoman, and his wife, Maggie, as well as her niece, Darlene Turpen. Each of them unselfishly attended to her many needs after she left her apartment on Rob Roy Lane in 2003.
She was also extremely grateful to Dennis and Barbara Sanvig, and the staff at Port Charles, for the loving care she received while a resident of that facility.
Memorials may be directed to the Charles City Food Box, 912 E St. Charles City, IA 50616.
The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, www.hauserfh.com, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements.
