Ruth Schwarzkopf, age 90, of Breda, died Monday, March 14, 2016, at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, March 21, 2016, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda. The Celebrant will be Fr. Gary Snyder. Music will be by Marilyn Hundling and the St. Bernard Choir with Bob Schwarzkopf, Lori Miller, and Vickie Reis as soloists. Lector will be Peggy Threadgill. Gift Bearers will be Stefanie Venner and Jennifer Brockway. Eucharistic Ministers will be Pat Schwarzkopf, Jean Grote, Leonard Grote, and Don Masching. Casket Bearers will be Brett Schwarzkopf, Rob Venner, Matt Brockway, Jim Threadgill, Mark Vonnahme, and Don Gerken. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. The Breda American Legion Auxiliary will form an honor guard for the funeral mass.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda after 3 p.m. on Sunday where there will be a Rosary prayed at 5 p.m.
Additional visitation will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda.
Memorials may be directed to the St. Bernard’s Cemetery Fund or the St. Anthony Foundation.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda, and online condolences may be left for Ruth’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on June 3, 1925, in Carroll, Iowa, Ruth was the daughter of William and Laura Vonnahme (Noethe). She spent her childhood on a farm near Lidderdale, and graduated from Carroll High School with the class of 1943. Ruth completed a teacher’s education program at Buena Vista, and taught in a one room school house in Carroll County.
On November 4, 1946, she was united in marriage to Ambrose (A.J.) Schwarzkopf at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Mt. Carmel, Iowa. Ruth and A.J. made their home west of Breda where they operated a grain and livestock farm. For many years, Ruth enjoyed playing cards with the “Country 500 Club,” spending Saturday afternoons at the beauty salon, and golfing at Spring Lake Golf & Country Club and the Breda Golf Course. Ruth volunteered as the editor of the Breda Centennial Book, and truly enjoyed leading the work of the committee. She invested the majority of her time and effort raising her six children. Ruth provided a comfortable home to her family, emphasizing education and the Catholic faith. She supported all of her children’s interests and made countless sacrifices for them.
In the spring of 1989 Ruth and A.J. moved into a new home in Breda. They enjoyed hosting large family gatherings over the holidays and for other special events. Ruth found great joy in being surrounded by her children, their spouses, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Later in life Ruth and A.J. split their time between homes in Breda and Sun City West, Arizona. They loved the sunshine and the opportunity to make new friends and play golf year round.
In January of 2012, as her health began to fail, she became a resident of St. Anthony Nursing Home. Ruth was very grateful for the love and care provided by the staff of St. Anthony’s. She was also appreciative of the assistance and friendships gained from Caring Hands. Ruth was a member of the Breda American Legion Auxiliary, St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, and Ladies Guild in Breda.
Survivors include her children: Bob (Mikki) Schwarzkopf of Jefferson, Peggy (Jim) Threadgill of Parker, TX, Joan (Reeves) Mahoney of Norfolk, VA, Tom (Pat) Schwarzkopf of Breda, Deb (Bill) Coulter of Omaha, NE, and Lori (Marc) Miller of Bend, OR; 11 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; one brother, LuVern Vonnahme, of Remsen, IA; her sister-in-law, Marie Vonnahme, of Carroll, IA ; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Philip (Chick) and Betty Schwarzkopf, of Perry, IA, sisters-in-law Lucy Brooks of Chicago, IL, Catherine Schwarzkopf of Milwaukee, WI, and Joan Heiman of Jefferson; as well as many nieces and nephews and other extended relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ambrose (A.J.) Schwarzkopf, her parents, and her brothers Darrell and William Vonnahme.
