- Date Of Birth: February 19, 1936
- Date Of Death: May 19, 2015
- State: Nebraska
Ruth Ann Wegner Lutes was born to Hilbert and Helen (Calundan) Wegner in Bloomfield Nebraska on February 19, 1936 in the middle of a snowstorm. The doctor came out in a sleigh driven by horses to deliver this precious bundle. As the first born of 3 girls she guided her sisters with her natural teaching ability. After graduating from Bloomfield High and then Wayne State, she taught in a one room schoolhouse at the top of the hill of her childhood home.
She eventually moved to Chino, California where she used her innate teaching skills on third graders. There she met her husband of 51 years, Charles Lutes of Norfolk NE, whose cousin was Ruth Ann’s roommate. They married on June 24 1959 in Bloomfield. One year later to the day, their first son, Robert, was born. In 2 year succession Christine, Sandra and Richard followed.
In 1970 wanting to raise their children in the same environment they grew up in, they moved to rural Farmington Minnesota. She gave up teaching to fully devote herself to raising her children. She had many interests, Deacon at Trinity Lutheran, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, blood drives and helping others whenever she could. She was an avid reader, loved gardening and made beautiful stained glass. A series of strokes left her in steadily declining health, yet she always had a smile and loving countenance for those who cared for her. She was taken care of at home by her son Richard and longtime close family friend Carol Cedarberg as well as other loving caretakers in the last years of her life. She left us on Richard’s birthday, May 19, going home to Christ and her waiting husband who preceded her four years earlier.
She is survived by her 4 children, Robert Lutes of Lawrence, KS, Christine & Howard Katelansky of Roslyn Heights, NY, Sandra & Jorge Gomez of Harvard, MA and Richard & Angie Lutes of Norfolk, grandchildren, Jonathan & Kathryn Lutes (and their mother Lori Nyberg Lutes) of Lawrence, KS; William & Alexander Katelansky of Roslyn Heights; Sierra, Olivia & Camille Gomez of Harvard, also sisters Louise Doerr of Texas and Deloris Hailey of Lincoln, as well as many nieces & nephews. She will be forever loved.
