BOONE, Iowa—Ruth Ann Abbott, 82, of Boone, Iowa, Eastern Star Masonic Home – Hearthstone in Boone, on Friday, August 23, 2024. She had been a resident of Eastern Star Masonic Home – Hearthstone since November 2021.

She was born on April 6, 1942, in Castle Rock/Northfield, Minnesota, the daughter of Lewis Jurries and Grace Mable Jurries. She graduated from Northfield High School and attended Winona State College where she met the love of her life, Lynn. One night in Winona, Ruth and Lynn met while on dates with other people. At the end of the night, after Ruth and Lynn had outlasted their dates, the two of them became acquainted and Lynn offered to drive Ruth home. As they say, the rest is history. On September 5, 1964, she married Lynn Carl Abbott at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield, Minnesota.

After marriage, Ruth and Lynn moved to Watertown, Wisconsin where Lynn began his career with United Building Centers (UBC). Promotions and job changes took Ruth and Lynn to Madison, Wisconsin, and then to Fairmont, Minnesota, as manager of that store. In Fairmont, after years of trying, Ruth and Lynn were blessed with the birth of their first son, Andrew, in January of 1975, and then with Christopher later that year In November of 1975. Ruth and Lynn moved the family to Boone, Iowa, in July of 1978, where Lynn took the reins as manager of the local UBC. Ruth enjoyed careers in teaching and ultimately worked as Lynn’s bookkeeper at the UBC in Boone for several years until her retirement.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Boone and supported Lynn as he was President of the Congregation, was a member of the Boone Booster Club, longtime Chair of the Boone County Fair Board, and longtime member of the local Rotary Chapter. Both Ruth and Lynn were awarded the Paul Harris Distinguished Fellow Award through Rotary for their dedicated years of service.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn Abbott; son, Christopher Abbott; parents, Lewis and Grace Jurries; and her siblings, Rose, Delores, and Donald.

She is survived by her son, Andrew Abbott; grandchildren, Gaven and Brecken Abbott; daughter-in-law, Amie Abbott; sister, Joan, and several other nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Boone, with Pastor Jessten Heimer officiating. Visitation will be before the service from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the American Red Cross to help with their blood drives, or to Trinity Lutheran Church in Boone.

Schroeder-Stark-Welin Funeral Home, 609 7th Street, Boone, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.

Ruth Abbott, 82, Boone, Iowa and the Eastern Star Masonic Home-Hearthstone, Boone, Iowa