Ruth Ella Entz was born on November 10, 1928, to Bernhard and Frieda (Wiebe) Entz. She was the oldest of six children and grew up during the Depression years. She was raised in a Christian home where the Bible was read every morning, and the family attended church weekly. When she was not at school or church, she was doing chores at home since there were no modern conveniences such as electricity or running water.
Ruth accepted the Lord as her personal Savior in April of 1943. She was baptized upon her confession of faith and joined the Emmaus Church.
She attended Hesston Academy and graduated in 1947. She entered nurses’ training at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton in March 1948 and graduated three years later. After graduation, she worked as an office nurse at Bethel Clinic for ten years.
On February 19, 1961, she married Verne M. Goering of Moundridge at the Emmaus Church. They had three daughters: Janeal, Patricia, and Carol. She was a stay-at-home mother for twenty years at which time she went back to work again at Bethel Clinic until retirement. She was a wonderful nurse who built caring relationships with her patients.
After their marriage, Verne and Ruth were very involved In the Garden Community Church.
Some of her responsibilities included playing the piano, serving on the Mission Society committee, helping in Awana, and working on the Foods Committee throughout the years. She took great pride in her flower garden and enjoyed sharing beautiful arrangements each Sunday at church.
Ruth’s family has fond memories of her hosting many family gatherings, sending birthday cards, keeping the family updated through weekly letters and emails, and sharing the abundant garden produce with those she loved. She was selfless in her serving and generous in her giving to others.
Ruth had a stroke in May 2021 and was moved into healthcare at Pine Village. Her strong faith sustained her during the last years of her life in the nursing home. She had a lot of difficult days but knew God had a plan and would supply her daily needs.
Throughout her life, Ruth loved reading the Bible daily and was a dedicated prayer warrior. She lived out her faith to the very end, and her desire was that others see Christ through her life.
Ruth met her Savior, Jesus Christ, on September 11, 2024.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Paul, Walter, and Kenneth; and a sister, Mary Louise.
Ruth is survived by: Verne, her husband of 63 years; children: Janeal (Tim) Zechman, Patricia (Keith) Redding, and Carol Reeves (Jay Endsley); grandchildren: Jared (Emma) Redding, Taylor (Morgan) Redding, Tim (Amber) Zechman, Grace (Ryan) Botterbrodt, Hannah Zechman, Melinda Zechman, Katie Zechman, Beth Zechman, Brianne (Terrence) Hanke, and Colin Endsley; great-grandchildren: Robbyn Redding, Micah Redding, Jack Redding, Ivan Redding, Derek Redding, Aleah Zechman, Amos Zechman, Owen Zechman, Weston Zechman, Norah Zechman, and Finley Hanke; one sister, Eleanore Myers; sister-in-law Barbara Entz; sister-in-law Judy Goering; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2024 at the Moundridge Funeral Home. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 17, at the Garden Community Church, 6520 N Halstead Rd, Moundridge, KS. The services will be livestreamed at
www.youtube.com/@gardencommunitychurch. Private family interment to be held in the Garden Community Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Garden Community Church Missions Fund, Pine Village Endowment Fund, or Pioneers International (write in memo: Jared and Emma Redding Account #112609) in care of Moundridge Funeral Home, PO Box, Moundridge, KS 67107.