Yvonne Rutz, 75
Yvonne M. A. “Bonnie” Rutz, 75, of Pocahontas died on Friday, April 1, 2016 at Greenville Regional Hospital.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 8 and from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 9 at Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home in Highland. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9 at St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Grantfork, with Father Scott A. Snider, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in St. Gertrude Catholic Cemetery in Grantfork.
She was born on April 25, 1940 in Highland to Wilbur E. and Lenore (Gall) Frey. On Jan. 28, 1961, she married Ronald J. “Chief” Rutz at St. Nicholas Catholic Church. He survives in Pocahontas.
Mrs. Rutz grew up on the family farm, northeast of Pocahontas. She was a 1958 graduate of St. Paul High School in Highland.
After high school, she had worked for Moseman Plumbing in Highland, which later became Houseman Supply Co. She also worked part-time for Homer Rusteberg, CPA, as a special education bus driver for Zobrist Bus Lines for 10 years, in maintenance for Zobrist Coach Lines for eight years, and at Grantfork Meat Market for more than 10 years. She and her husband also operated a farm east of Grantfork, where she drove tractors and the combine and did all the things that are associated with being a farmer’s wife — tending a large garden, cooking for the help, feeding the animals, etc. She also made wedding cakes and other baked goods for weddings for 18 years.
She enjoyed quilting and had made quilts for all of her children and grandchildren. For more than 50 years, she had been active in the Grantfork Homecoming Parade, planning, building floats and coordinating.
She was a member of St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Grantfork and the Altar Sodality of the church, where she had served as treasurer. She was also an honorary member of the Helvetia Sharpshooters Society, a charter member of the Grantfork Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the Clinton County Live Stock Barn, where she served as secretary. She was also a member of Catholic Fraternal Life (CFL).
Other survivors include daughters, Robin M.L. (Jeffrey “Chuckie”) Mettler of Highland and Gena M. (Timothy) Daiber of Vandalia; sons, Kevin A. “Rookie” (Lori) Rutz of Alhambra and Bryan L. (Kristine) Rutz of Highland; a brother, Gerald A. “Jerry” (Sandy) Frey of Sun City, Fla.; a sister, Donna L. (Robert) Guetterman of Branson, Mo.; a brother-in-law, Lewis F. Workman of Pocahontas; grandchildren, Rene L. (Dustin) Barr of Alhambra, Rhonda J. (Todd) Schulte of St. Rose, Jordan D. Mettler of Highland, Jerritt R. Mettler of Highland, Dylan J. Rutz of Alhambra, Mallory M. Rutz of Alhambra, Iris A. (fiancé Jeff Bradley) Daiber of Vandalia, Isaac D. Daiber of Vandalia, Isaiah A. Daiber of Vandalia, Isabelle F. Daiber of Vandalia, Ivan I. Daiber of Vanadlia, Ike N. Daiber of Vandalia, Ivy E. Daiber of Vandalia, Kaitlin R. Rutz of Highland, Kali R. Rutz of Highland, Kyle R. (Terrisa) Gehrig of Highland and Emily A.B (significant other Josh Giedemann) Gehrig of O’Fallon; and great-grandchildren, Carlie Mettler, Laila Barr, Teagan Barr, Maris Barr, Aubrey Barr, Kanon Gehrig and Will Schulte.
She was preceded in death by her father, who died on Sept. 19, 1996; her mother, who died on Feb. 14, 2010; a sister, Barbara E. Workman, who died on Jan. 5, 2003; and a brother, Wayne J. “Wiener” Frey, who died on July 12, 2011.
Memorials may be made to St. Gertrude Catholic Church or the Grantfork Volunteer Fire Department.
This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 7:17 AM with the headline "Yvonne Rutz, 75."