Ida Ruesler

Ida Louise Ruesler, 98, of Jackson died Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

She was born Sept. 5, 1914, in Friedheim to Henry and Katherine Louise Klaus Pohlmann. She and Wilbert H. "Wib" Ruesler were married May 18, 1943, in El Paso, Texas. They had been married 56 years when Wib died Sept. 13, 1999.

Ida was raised in Friedheim, attending grade school at Arnsberg one-room school. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim and remained a member there until the late 1960s, transferring her membership to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. Her activities at St. Paul included LWML, Ladies Aid, the quilting group and the JOY group. Other affiliations were the American Legion Auxiliary in Jackson and the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

Ida sold Avon many years, even after Wib's death. She was well-known for her "green thumb" with flowers and also for growing, harvesting, canning and sharing bountiful produce from her garden. She enjoyed playing cards with friends, visiting with family, quilting, sewing, and was quite a cook.

Loving survivors include four children, Marilyn (Wayne) Ferkel of St. Louis, Charlotte (Dudley) Blumenschein of Marysville, Ohio, Sharon (Bill) Laxton of Scott City and Wayne (Julia) Ruesler of Sikeston, Mo.; a son-in-law, Frank (the late Janet) Stoffle of Atlanta; 11 grandchildren, David (Amy) Ferkel, Michael (Bethany) Blumenschein, Angela, Christy and Derek Laxton, Matthew (Diana) Ruesler, Samuel and Sarah Ruesler, Audrey, Jeffrey and Jacob Stoffle; six great-grandchildren; four sisters-in-law and three brothers-in-law, Verna (Marvin) Best of Gordonville, Virgie (Harold) Schubert of Perryville, Mo., Harold (Rose Mary) Ruesler of Jackson and Betty Ruesler of Gardenia, Calif.; along with cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Janet Stoffle; a granddaughter, Susan Blumenschein; a brother, Elmer (Erma) Pohlmann; and her parents.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and from 9:30 a.m. to time of service Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. David Johnson officiating. Interment will be in Russell Heights Cemetery.

For memorials, please consider St. Paul Lutheran Radio Broadcast, c/o St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.