A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 18, 2020, at Beth-El Community Church, Milford, with Pastor David Baynes officiating. Visitation is Friday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the church and 1 hour prior to services Saturday also at the church. Burial will be in the Milford Mennonite Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the church. Pallbearers are Bryan York, Scott Howard, Ben Rediger, Chace Rediger, Fred Schlegel, Gary Kremer and Rod Yeackley.
Ruth Marie Rediger was born April 8, 1927, on her parents farm west of Milford, Nebraska to Peter and Mary (Stutzman) Schlegel, the youngest of five children and passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at the Ashland Care Center in Ashland at the age of 93.
As a young girl, Ruth attended Milford Public Schools through the 10th grade. Ruth worked at her dad’s grocery store, Schlegel Grocery, until her marriage to Leland Rediger on October 1, 1944 at the Milford Mennonite Church. Together they resided on a farm near Milford where she was a farm wife and mother. Leland and Ruth moved into Milford in 1963. Besides raising her children, Ruth was employed for 25 years with Southeast Community College with the ARA Food Services. After her husband’s death in 1988, she eventually to moved to Ashland where she could be closer to her family. Her grandchildren were very important to her and enjoyed going to their many sporting events and other school activities. Ruth loved baking, cooking and doing crossword puzzles and word searches.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Lori and Shawn Howard, Elmwood, NE, grandchildren, Chace and Karen Rediger, Olatha, KS, Roxanne and Steve Pottenger, Santa Barbara, CA, Benjamin and Stacey Rediger, Milford, Amanda York, Richard “Bryan” and Caleigh York, all of Ashland, Scott Howard and Chelsea Clifton, both of Papillion, Tichota Howard, Ashland, great-grandchildren, Jordan Probert, Gabrielle Rediger, Drew Rediger, Ta’Riah Hansborough, Ava Rediger, Benjamin Rediger, Jr., Dartanian Harrison, Kasyn Elliott, a great-great granddaughter, Skylar Lindsey.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Leland, in 1988, son, Steve in 2002, two brothers, Clarence and Willard Schlegel, two sisters, Mabel Eiben and Verda Yeackley, brothers-in-law and sisters in law, Melvin and Hazel Stutzman, Melvin and Agnes Yeackley, Lila and Robert Fortier, brother-in-law, Merlin Rediger, and a nephew and his son, Hyle Cook and Michael Cook.
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