Ruth Pauline Chelar Rasko was born October 5, 1929, the youngest of four children, to Matt and Nellie Miller Chelar, on the family farm near Hiteman, Iowa. She graduated from Albia High in 1946 with honors. Ruth met Kenneth Warren Rasko at a roller-skating rink in Albia. He had served in the U.S. Navy from January 8, 1943, to February 4, 1946. They married May 31, 1947, and moved to Indianola where Ken enrolled at Simpson College.

They welcomed four children into their home: Frank Daniel,1949; David Warren, 1950; Kenna Jean, 1954; and Josephine Kay, 1957. Ruth was a busy Mother with four kids, school, and church activities, sewing for the kids and herself, putting up food from her and Kenny's big garden, managing family vacations, church activities, and keeping the house quiet enough each day for Kenny, who worked nights at Firestone, to sleep. Kenny developed diabetes and Ruth learned the exchange system to prepare meals and keep him healthy.

The couple loved to dance, play cards, walk, camp and boat. Ruth drove the boat and helped everyone learn to ski. She enjoyed the holidays, family dinners, packing a picnic and meeting the family at the park for conversation and fun. Kenny and Ruth attended local festivals, visited art galleries in Omaha, dinner theaters in Minneapolis, toured San Francisco, and loved to take trips in the Firebird. She loved to see new things, have fun, be silly and laugh.

Ruth survived Kenny by 35 years. Ruth loved the Lord, wore out more than one Bible, and spent time with the Word daily. She stayed busy with service to others. She served as secretary at First United Methodist Church, was active with United Methodist Women, Needle's Eye Sunday School, and Thursday Thoughts study. Over the years, she volunteered at Bidwell Riverside, Salvation Army, Helping Hand, Habitat for Humanity, Wesley Woods, and Lady Lions.

She lined up donations for countless funeral dinners, arranged rides for medical visits, visited people in care centers, and was always ready to share her beautiful smile and kind words. Years after Kenny passed, she worked at Apple Tree Inn, went to Alaska, and took other trips.

Ruth loved her family. She would encourage each of us today to cherish every second spent with each other. The legacy of love and service that Ruth and Kenny left serves as a model for lives well lived. The family would like to thank Ruth's friends for decades of love, time together and fun. We also thank those at Windsor Manor, Good Samaritan Society, and Suncrest Hospice who provided a caring home for Ruth, and excellent care of her during the last difficult year.

Family surviving Ruth includes son Frank and Barbara Rasko with  Nathan Rasko, Aaron and Kim Rasko with Logan and Olivia, and son David Rasko and Stella, and with Debbie Rasko, Don and Jamie Rasko with Cannan, Georgia, and Eliott,  and Devin and Jen Rasko with Ehlana and Laurelle. She is survived by grandsons Matthew and Jennifer Danford, and Jake and Amanda Danford with Madison, Ava, and Raelynn. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Debbie Rasko, and son-in-law Tony Dittmer. Additional family members include niece Doris Chelar Little with Jeremy and Kathy Little with Aiden and Lenora, Dan and Jenny Little with Austin and Dean, and Jennfer and Nick Summers with Emmitt. Also surviving is nephew Gary Chelar and Beth's children Leslie and Tony Terronez, Hope and Griffin Flemming and Emma Terrorenz, Allison Moore with Keir Henry, Avah, Brielle, and Sophie, and Joseph and Stephanie Chelar with Adelyne and Grayson, and Julie Chelar with Phillip. Additionally, nephew Terry Kinkaid and Kay Reynolds with Karen Chelar Kinkaid's children Ryan and Stacy Kinkaid with Annette and Eric, Tyson and Colleen Kinkaid with Breanna and Brett, and Donna Kinkaid's children Cory and Kate Determan with Will, Whalen, Weston and Wren, and Jake and Amy Determan with Sam, Clay and Devyn. Also, niece Freda Rasko with Spencer Rasko, and Cameo and Saye Kolonight with Joshua and Annalyn, David, and Julia. Also, niece Sue and Jerry Cellan with Christina Cellan Kalil with Kai and Zoe, Elisa Cellan Schasse with Teague and Ty Schasse and  Dango Cellan with wife Amber and her children Kyleigh, Dustin, Uriah and Ayce Stewart.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Kenny, daughter Kenna and Danny Danford, daughter Josephine, her parents Matthew and Nellie Chelar, her in-laws, John Rasko and Opal Durham Rasko Swarthout and her husband Erban Porter Swarthout, siblings Ethel and Lloyd Ford, Raymond and Jeannine Chelar, and their daughter Karen Kinkaid and son Gary Chelar, Frank and Dortha Chelar and daughter Elaine, and brother-in-law John Rasko, wife Betty, and son, John Rasko Jr.

Ruth passed away October 10, 2024 at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Indianola. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 3 p.m., Sunday, October 20, 2024, at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola, with a gathering time prior to services from 1 to 3 p.m. Inurnment will be in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given, in memory of Ruth, to Kiya Koda Humane Society in Indianola.