Ruth E. (Hart) Werner

Ruth Elaine Hart was born the morning of November 7, 1927, at the family ranch in north Rock County, Nebraska. She was the first of four daughters born to Mabel (Genung) and Amos Hart. It was here she grew up, playing in the creeks, climbing the hills, riding her horse, Queen, after the milk cows, and helping her dad in the hayfield, sawing wood, working cattle, all the outside chores which she preferred to learning to can fruit and vegetables, do laundry and clean house. However, her love of gardening started at this young age and stayed with her for her long lifetime.
For her first eight school years, she alternately attended Rock Creek District 25, four miles south of her home, or Carns School just across the Niobrara River Bridge in Keya Paha County. She often rode Queen to and from school, occasionally walked, and by the time she was an eighth grader, sometimes drove the family car. She boarded in Bassett during the week while attending high school. On September 20, 1944, just into her senior year, her mother, Mabel, passed away. Losing a mother at any age is life-changing. Losing her much loved mother as a teenager was devastating to her. Her weekends from then were spent helping her dad do laundry, clean house, bake and trying to be a surrogate mother emotionally for her two young sisters still at home.
Ruth was the salutatorian of the 48 students in her 1945 Rock County High School graduating class, and was awarded a one-year Regents Scholarship to UNL. She took advantage of this, and enjoyed her year in Lincoln. In the spring of 1946, she applied for and was hired as the receptionist/secretary at Brown County Hospital. She held this job for the next thirteen years. During this time, she met and married Charles Curtis Werner, a Kansas native, who was an Engineering Technician with the Bureau of Reclamation. In the succeeding years, as Charley’s job took them to Kansas, North and South Dakota and other locations in Nebraska, Ruth was a clerk/typist for various businesses in the towns they lived in, she was an office manager of a flying service in Pierre, SD. She retired from her working life as a supply clerk with the Bureau in Ord, Nebraska. For the last thirty some years, she and Charley made their home on an acreage in North Loup where they kept their coon dogs and mules. Ruth even rode her favorite mule in the North Loup Popcorn Days parade a time or two.
Ruth made friends wherever their travels took them, and she maintained those friendships for her lifetime. She always made herself available to help family, friends and neighbors whenever there was a need. She was a member of numerous organizations throughout the years. She was also a talented seamstress, making clothing for herself and shirts for Charley. She loved to knit, and made numerous sweaters and beautiful afghan blankets. She enjoyed doing embroidery work and was a marvelous cook. She had the ability to make things look easy.
When her stepmother Mahalia reached the age she needed daily care, Ruth voluntarily and cheerfully came to her aid for more than a year. She spent part of each week in Bassett helping to keep Mahalia comfortable and safe in her home. Although Mahalia came into the family after Ruth was grown up and away, they were very dear to each other.
Ruth passed away at Brookefield Park Nursing Home in St. Paul, Nebraska, on March 9, 2023. This is where she had made her home after suffering a physically debilitating stroke in March of 2014.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; father, Amos; mothers, Mabel and Mahalia; two sisters, Jeanette Hart-Leonard and infant, Sue Ann; nieces, Suzanne Leonard-Kurzman and Karen Harlan-Jeffs; nephews, David Grauerholz, Randy, Tom and Craig Werner. Additionally, she was preceded in death by seven brothers-in-law and three sisters-in-law. She is survived by her sister, Nancy Harlan and sister-in-law, Burnus Werner; nieces, Kim (Aby) Tehranipour, Kay (Jim) Geschwender, Sharon Leonard, Brenda Piper, Dianne Yamamoto, Dorothy Dietsche-Wade, Delene Sabol, Christy Elliott, and Beth Werner; nephews, Ward Harlan, Scott Leonard and Bruce Werner. She is also survived by numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Memorial Services were held on Friday, June 23, 2023 at 10:30 AM at the Bassett Methodist Church with Pastor David Randall officiating. CD musical selections “Amazing Grace” by the Statler Brothers, “In The Garden” by Jim Reeves, “The Old Rugged Cross” by Tennessee Ernie Ford and “Wings of a Dove” by Ferlin Husky were played. Inurnment followed at the Bassett Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the family in her name. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com .