RUTH IRENE ZEMKE

A celebration of life gathering will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Deercreek Apartments, 700 S. 17th St. All who wish to come may do so. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Ruth was born June 17, 1952, in Fort Dodge to Gerald and Irene (Bollerman) Whitehill. She graduated from Fort Dodge High School and earned her med aide and physical therapy aide certificate along with her CNA certification.

Ruth was a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, Quilting Club, and Campfire. In her free time, Ruth loved to teach Sunday School, sew, quilt and being a Boy Scout Den Mother. She loved to sew anything from wedding dresses to kids Halloween costumes. Ruth could sew just about anything. She would make costumes for local school plays and also the community theater. She would even make her own patterns out of newspapers.

Ruth is survived by her mother Irene Whitehill; her five children, Walter Garrett III of Pocahontas, IA, Angela (Scott) Smith of Mesa, AZ, Joann (Terry) Zemke Chrzan of Fort Dodge, Lisa (Dan) Mills of Emmetsburg, IA, and Samantha (Philip) Zemke of Fort Dodge; 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; Brothers Gerald (Vivian) Whitehill of Fort Dodge, James (Donna) Whitehill of Fort Dodge, Ivan (Eileen) Whitehill of Fort Dodge, and sister Daisy (Dana) Lantz of Fort Dodge.

Ruth was preceded in death by her father Gerald Whitehill, husband Dennis Zemke and son Gerald Kilpatrick.