Ruth Esther Haberkamp

GARNER -- Ruth Haberkamp, 104, of Garner died Tuesday (May 13, 2008) at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt. Funeral services will be held 2 P.M., Saturday at Peace Reformed Church in Garner with Rev. Harvey Opp officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Friday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Ruth Esther Haberkamp, the daughter of Wesley and Mathilda (Greiman) Lenz, was born August 24, 1903 on a farm southwest of Garner. She was baptized and confirmed at Peace Reformed Church. Ruth attended Liberty No. 5 rural school, Garner High School and then received her normal training to be a teacher at Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls. She taught in the rural schools of Hancock County for five years. On February 20, 1929 she was married to Harold Haberkamp at Peace Reformed parsonage south of Garner. They farmed together southwest of Garner until 1970 when they retired and moved into Garner. At the time of Harold's death in 1991 they had been married for 61 years. In 1991, Ruth moved to Prairie View Apartments. Ruth loved her many flowers and...[more]

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king care of her huge gardens. She enjoyed quilting and doing handwork. She was a lifetime member of Peace Reformed Church where she was active in the Women's Missionary Society and taught Sunday school. Ruth was a member of ODO Club, Sunshine Club and was a 4-H Leader for many years in Liberty Township. Ruth is survived by her two daughters, Beverly Helgren of Thompson and Bethel (Ferd) Lemke of Meservey; five grandchildren, Shirley (Curtis) Anderson, Palmer Helgren, Harlan (Deb) Helgren, Beth (Scott) Newhard and Kay (Brian) Hrubes; ten great grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren; a sister, Lois Huenemann of Garner; sisters-in-law, Ruby Lenz of Garner and Naomi Haberkamp of California; many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, Jan. 9, 1991; her parents; son-in-law, Ernest Helgren; grandson, Edward Helgren; sisters, Evelyn Anderson, and Norma Stromer; brother, Clarence Lenz; and a brother in infancy.