Ruth E. Bendt

RUTH ELIZABETH BENDT was born in Oak Hill, Kansas to Charles and Maggie Mae (Burgess) Langdale on September 18, 1922. She was raised in Nebraska and graduated from high school in Milford, Nebraska. Ruth was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps on November 11, 1943 and proudly served our country during WWII attaining the rank of Sergeant. Ruth was united in marriage to Ferdinand 'Fritz' Bendt on December 14, 1945. Ruth and Fritz were the first couple to take their vows in the newly constructed chapel on the Potter Field Army Air Corps Base near Amarillo, Texas. She was honorably discharged on January 15, 1946. After Fritz's discharge in February of 1946, the couple moved to Minnesota. They first lived on Fritz's parents' farm place east of Luverne, Minnesota. Then the family lived on farms near Hardwick, by the Blue Mounds, and Hills, Minnesota before moving to Ash Creek, Minnesota in 1955. Two years later they moved into Luverne. Ruth was a homemaker, raising their three children, and worked as a nurse's aide at the Luverne Community Hospital for over 32 years. She and Fritz also provided a home to children in need through the county foster care program for over 25 years. Fritz preceded her death in January of 1992 and she continued to live in their home. In March of 2013 Ruth became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne where she died peacefully on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at the age of 91 years, 6 months and 16 days.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne and taught Sunday School. Ruth was a passionate embroiderer and enjoyed baking and canning in her younger years.

She will be lovingly remembered by her three children, Mary and her husband Jerry Kinde of Faribault, Minnesota, Twila and her husband Tom Simon of New Hope, Minnesota, and Jim and his wife Diane Bendt of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; two granddaughters, Stacy and her husband Clay Zank of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin and Kacie Mikell of Cusseta, Georgia; two great-granddaughters, Kayleigh Zank and Shannon Mikell; and foster grandson, Joel Carlson of West Concord, Minnesota. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Fritz Bendt; a granddaughter, Barbara Jean Serbus; a great-granddaughter, Ashlynn Marie Zank; her three brothers, James, Earl, and Dana Langdale; and a sister, Helen Jurgens.