BOYENGA, Ruth 1929 - 2017
BOYENGA, KINNARD, THOMSEN, EVANS, KLAAS, RASMUSSEN, CAMERON, STEPANOVICH
Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 12/21/2017 at 04:47:54
Ruth Boyenga of Mason City, Iowa, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2017, at Heritage Care Center in Mason City. Per her wishes her body has been donated to Mayo Clinic’s Department of Anatomy. A memorial gathering will be held at a later date.
Ruth was born on a farm in Emmet County, Iowa, to Lars and Ellen (Kinnard) Thomsen on April 26, 1929. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Graettinger, Iowa. After graduating from Graettinger High School she moved to Mason City and attended Hamilton Business School.
On Feb. 11, 1951, she married Marvin Boyenga at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Graettinger. In 2001, Ruth and Marvin celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Costa Rica. They were fortunate to enjoy their 66th anniversary together.
Ruth enjoyed history and was a longtime member of the North Central Iowa Genealogical Society. Her ancestors emigrated from Norway, Denmark and Scotland. She spent many hours tracing her family tree and helped many others as a volunteer in the Genealogy Room at the Mason City Public Library.
She enjoyed traveling with various tour companies. Norway, Canada, Denmark, England, and Spain were among her destinations and she also traveled throughout the United States. She had fond memories of attending theater, shows, and garden tours on her travels.
She also enjoyed gardening, a love that was passed on from her mother. She landscaped all the family homes that she and Marvin had built over the years. She enjoyed everything about gardening, from the planting of flowers to the harvesting of the tomatoes. It was always a work in progress, as she would rearrange plants as they outgrew their home and shared much of her bounty with others to enjoy. Ruth was a member of the Rake and Hoe Garden Club and served as the Secretary for some years. She also hosted the year-end potluck for the members at her home for a few years.
Ruth enjoyed getting together with Mason City Christian Women’s Connection and was very appreciative of the women that would pick her up when she was no longer able to drive. She had wonderful memories of the many speakers that would present at the monthly luncheons.
She is survived by her husband Marvin and their four children, Cheryl (Ron) Evans of Hoffman Estates, Illinois; Karen (Herb) Klaas of Saratoga, California; William of Austin, Minnesota; Beth Rasmussen of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota; and grandchildren Marisa (Matt) Cameron of Palatine, Illinois; Matt Evans of Aspen, Colorado; Joseph Klaas, Janelle Klaas, Kira Klaas and Mitchell Klaas of California; Kolten Rasmussen of Colorado and Kendall Rasmussen of Iowa. Great grandchildren Aubria, Cahlan, and Livia Cameron of Palatine, Illinois, also survive her.
Ruth also leaves her sister Nancy (Jim) Stepanovich and brother Robert (Ann) Thomsen. She was preceded in death by her parents Ellen and Lars, brothers Tommy and Lawrence, and sister Dorothy.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Rake and Hoe Garden Club of Mason City, Jean Harms, secretary; 275 North Taft, Unit 108, Mason City, IA 50401, 641-494-6032, or the Wesley United Methodist Church.
Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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