- Date Of Birth: March 11, 1917
- Date Of Death: July 30, 2015
- State: Michigan
Ruth went to be with her Lord and Savior, Thursday, July 30, 2015 at the age of 98. She was born March 11, 1917 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the first of 9 children, to the late Benjamin and Freda Anna (Becker) Draeger. Ruth was well-rounded, excelling in academics, music and sports.
She graduated from Hamline University at the age of 21 with a major in mathematics, and minors in biology, physics, physical education, German and English. Ruth then taught school for 2 years in northern Minnesota before taking jobs working as a mathematician at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and at Douglas Aircraft in California. In 1946 she married the love of her life, Abraham Dubbeld, and moved to Michigan. Ruth was the perfect helpmate to her pastor husband, playing the piano and teaching Sunday School as she raised their seven children.
As their children got older, she substitute taught for 3 years, then accepted a full time position teaching math, physics and business classes at Athens High School in 1966. At the age of 53 she returned to college to earn a Master’s Degree in the Teaching of Mathematics from Western Michigan University. Ruth retired from teaching in 1977, but continued to stay busy. She had many hobbies. She enjoyed gardening, loved to read, and made delicious pies, watermelon pickles and peach ice cream. She also kept active with volunteer work. She and her husband worked together at Bible Doctrines To Live By in Grand Rapids for several years. Ruth learned braille in order to transcribe math textbooks for blind students. She also knitted hundreds of beautiful baby sweaters that were donated to Alternatives of Kalamazoo Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Ruth rarely spent money on herself, but was generous with supporting missionaries and spreading the Good News through a Gospel tract ministry. Her most fervent prayer was that all of her loved ones would come to know Jesus Christ. Ruth was greatly appreciated for her giving nature, a favorite among the students that she taught, and will be dearly missed by all who were blessed to know her. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Abraham in 2003, as well as 2 sisters and 3 brothers.
She is survived by her children, Eva (Roger) Sylvester of Three Rivers, Benjamin (Sheila) Dubbeld of Holland, Walter (Christine) Dubbeld of Vicksburg, Freda (Michael) Branch of Vicksburg, Paul (Diana) Dubbeld of Portage, Esther (James Jr.) Hawkins of Vicksburg, and Martha (Ken) Wahl of Neenah, WI; 14 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; sisters Benita (Ivan) Duerkop of Wisconsin, Dorothea (James) Johnson of Alabama and brother Herb (Barbara) Draeger of Florida, as well as many nieces and nephews.
