Aberdeen: The funeral service for Anne Kiesz Ruby Heitz, 95, of Aberdeen and formerly of Ipswich, will be 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2013, at Gramm Funeral Home, 720 N. Sixth St., in Ipswich.
Interment will follow at the Ipswich City Cemetery.
Visitation will be noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Gramm Funeral Home in Ipswich.
Anne was born on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 1918, to Christian and Christina (Gugel) Kiesz on a farm near Leola, SD. She was raised on the family farm and attended country school through the eighth grade. Anne later earned her GED.
She married Bruce Ruby, and to this union four children were born: Roland, Floyd, Myrna and Elda. Bruce died in combat during World War II, just a short time after their youngest child was born. He is buried in France.
Anne later married Richard Heitz. They made their home in Ipswich, and to this union five more children were born: Carolyn, Mary, Gary, Warren and Harlan. Anne worked as cook in restaurants in Ipswich.
While raising her family was of utmost importance to Anne, she also found a way to give much too many in the area. She loved to garden and liked all kinds of flowers, especially roses. Her huge gardens featured large colorful sections of flowers. While raising vegetables in her gardens to help feed her large growing family, she always featured flowers as a focal point. During times that her flowers were in full bloom, she would harvest flowers and have her children deliver them to everyone who was hospitalized in the Ipswich Community Hospital. She also created valentines for veterans and was a lifelong member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
She had a passion for history and really enjoyed writing Ipswich history. She was instrumental in the painting of the mural in downtown Ipswich. Anne also found time to draw, and left many wonderful drawing for her family to enjoy.
Anne died Thursday, May 30, 2013, at ManorCare Health Services in Aberdeen.
She is survived by her children: Myrna (Vernie) Stillings of Salina, Kansas, Elda (Ron) Hoffer of Roscoe, Carolyn Hamak of Sturgis, Mary (Ed) Sorensen of Richfield, Minn., Gary (Arlene) Heitz of Wetmore, Kansas, Warren (Deb) Heitz of Aberdeen, S.D., and Harlan (Lynette) Heitz of Mina, S.D.; 31 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Clarence Job of Bend, Ore.; three sisters: Elaine Job Horanmann Winkler of Sioux Falls, S.D., Janice Job Hammrich of Belfair, Wash., and Lila Job Rose of Deaver, Wyo.; and daughter-in-law, Janice (Floyd) Ruby of Graham, Wash.
Her parents; stepfather, Gust Job; both husbands; two sons: Roland and Floyd; brothers and sisters: Elmer, Albert and Alfred Kiesz, Reinold, Eddie, Arnold, and Raymond Job, as well as Virginia Job-Peterson and Joanie Job Smith, preceded her in death.
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