Ruth Ellen Burnett, 98, passed away on April 8, 2020 in Lakewood, Colorado. Ruth was born on December 13, 1921 in rural Clarke County, IA to Ruth Kirk Garrett and Marion Garrett.
Ruth was joined in marriage to George Burnett in Leon, Iowa on June 11, 1938. Three children blessed this union; Margaret, Charles (Bob) and George, Jr.
Ruth and George farmed in the Murray area all their lives. Ruth was a farm wife and homemaker. She took much pride in her home and family, loving to garden, preserving foods for her family. Mom was a wonderful cook and baker, cooking for the family and hired men. When we were kids, she made many different kinds of Christmas candy and cookies to celebrate the holiday. She made the best divinity. Family picnics were enjoyed on holidays, grilling steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs. Her Jell-O, Angel Food Cake and pies were favorite desserts, and the children and grandchildren loved her homemade jams and jellies. As children, we loved to sit around the table and eat fried bread or donuts. The kids tell of sneaking into the basement to get bites of her homemade mince meat pie filling out of the crock when she was getting ready to can it. As kids, one of our memories was going with mom and dad to the church ice cream socials in the area around Murray. They knew that we all loved that treat of homemade ice cream.
Quilting is a wonderful art form that she was very skilled in. Many beautiful examples of her work won blue ribbons at the county fair. All of the family members are enjoying quilts that she made for them.
Ruth was an active member of the Methodist Church and the Methodist Church Women.
She and George traveled around the United States enjoying the trips by car and then in later years by bus. After George’s death, she traveled the southwestern states with Tharon Flaherty, Tharon’s mother and aunt, and also took trips with Bonnie Allen, going to Hawaii, Alaska and the east coast.
More than anything else, she loved being at home. Ruth was able to stay in her home until she was 96 years old. She moved to Denver one year ago to be near her daughter, Margaret, and to be closer for her son Charles and his wife to visit from Arizona.
Loved ones who preceded her in death are her husband, George; son, George Jr.; and grandsons, Vincent and Douglas Gaumer.
Ruth leaves to cherish her memory, her daughter, Margaret (Carl) Gaumer; her son, Charles (Teri) Burnett; her daughter–in-law, Carlene Burnett; grandchildren: Mark (Kris) Gaumer, (Penny) Gaumer, Carla (Kim) Opager, Scott (Alicia) Burnett, Jeff (Tasha) Burnett, Lynette (Phil) Glidden and LeAnn (Rob) Frizzell; and great-grandchildren: Jacob, Noah, Danielle, Sarah and Chad Gaumer; Sasha, Travis, Courtney, Cassidy and Connor Burnett and Hannah Weatherly.
Memorial plans will be made at a later date due to the uncertainty of the virus situation across the country.