Ruth Ashton, 73, of Woodward passed away Jan. 1, 2022, at the Perry Lutheran Homes in Perry, Iowa, following a courageous battle with ALS.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Jan. 18 from 5-7 p.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Perry. Interment of her ashes will be at the Beaver View Cemetery in Crofton, Nebraska, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to ALS of Iowa, Perry Lutheran Homes and Suncrest Hospice of Des Moines and may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
Ruth Elaine Merchen was born Nov 9, 1948, in Osmond, Nebraska. She was the sixth of 10 children born to Guy and Leone (Douglas) Merchen.
Ruth grew up on her parent’s farm northwest of Crofton, and she attended West Blyville country school through eight grade and later graduated from Crofton High School in 1967. She graduated from Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, in 1971 with a degree in business.
Ruth was united in marriage to Richard W. Ashton of Beaman, Iowa, at the United Methodist Church of rural Crofton on June 26, 1971. The couple made their home in Woodward.
Rich taught and coached at Woodward-Granger schools. Ruth worked for the Iowa Department of Human Services and then for 37 years at the Woodward Resource Center in the business office. During that time, she also mentored clients from the center, taking them to off-campus activities.
Beginning in 2000, she and Rich owned and operated Dick’s Fire Extinguisher Sales and Services in Boone until 2016.
Ruth’s greatest love was family and traveling to spend time with siblings, nieces and nephews.
She loved to crochet special items for family and friends. She enjoyed traveling, bowling and golfing with friends.
Ruth loved to jitterbug at the Rock & Roll reunion at the Iowa State Fair and at the Buddy Holly Reunion.
She and Rich toured on motorcycle to every U.S. state except Hawaii during their 50 years of marriage. The couple also enjoyed their home and friends in Tucson, Arizona, where they wintered since 2010.
Survivors include her husband, Rich, of Woodward; seven siblings and spouses, Marilyn Birmingham of Bettendorf; Dora (Dan) Parnell of Universal City, Texas, Mary (John) Strayer of Kearney, Nebraska, Jan Jensen of Pierce, Nebraska, Judy (Roger) Cambier of Alton, Iowa, Larry (Tracey) Merchen of West Point, Nebraska, and Diane (Lance) Brozek of Omaha, Nebraska; brother-in-law, Tom (Deb) Ashton of Beaman; sister-in-law Rosie Stanley of Wilton, Iowa; eldest niece, Dawn (Kelly) Kirts of Woodward; as well as numerous other nieces; nephews; great-nieces; and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Ed; sister, Carol Jean; and brothers-in-law, Don Birmingham and Jerry Jensen.
