Ruth Elaine Rager
November 30, -0001

Ruth Elaine Rager, one of two children of May (Cooper) Hansen and Louis Carl Hansen, was born July 28, 1912 in Grand Island, Nebraska. Ruth grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1930. Following school, Ruth worked at Hospe's Music Store in Council Bluffs.
On September 17, 1932, Ruth and Robert Winfred Rager of Glenwood, Iowa were married in Omaha, Nebraska and made their home in Glenwood, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Gay, Deanne, and Robert.
Ruth was a homemaker and a loving mother. She was a member of St. John Episcopal Church in Glenwood where she served many years as the church secretary, treasurer, and organist. For 38 years, Ruth helped Robert with his family's cleaning business in Glenwood known as Rager's Laundry and Dry Cleaners. In 1971, Ruth and Robert moved to Torrance, California and lived until 1975 when they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
They had been married 59 years when Robert died on September 8, 1991. Ruth continued to live at their home until 1999, when she moved to the Carestone Extended Care Facility in Albuquerque. Ruth died at Kaseman Presbyterian Hospice in Albuquerque on December 2, 2003, at the age of 91 years, 4 months, and 4 days.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and daughter Gay Winchester who died on August 17, 2000.
Ruth is survived by her children, Deanne Andersen and her husband Harry of Albuquerque, NM and Robert Rager and his wife Rita of Glenwood; son-in-law Harley Winchester of Omaha; brother Melvin Hansen and his wife Helen of Omaha; seven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and one great great grandson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

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