Ruth Florence Gartner

RUTH F. GARTNER, 78 of Grant, passed away Thursday, March 7, 2019, at the Perkins County Hospital in Grant. Arrangements are pending at the Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant.

Ruth was born January 18, 1941, at Messex, Colorado to Fred and Elizabeth (Kramer) Kain. She attended school in Messex and Paoli.

On August 9, 1979, Ruth married Mike Gartner in Holyoke, Colorado. The couple made their home in Grant where Ruth worked at Ann's Lounge as a cook and waitress for several years. She had also worked at Skeels Jack & Jill Grocery Store. Ruth eventually took a job with the Perkins County Sheriff's Office as a dispatcher, which she did for many years.

Ruth was had a salty personality. She was frequently unhesitant to let people know what she thought and generally enjoyed giving them a bad time, yet invariably managed to part with those same people sharing a laugh.

Ruth was notorious for her love of garage sales and had a hard time ignoring their siren song. Ruth spent many weekends with her favorite garage saleing cohorts, her daughter, grandkids, and great-grandkids, browsing the yard sale deals and having fun. Ruth got great utility out of the City-Wide Garage Sale in Grant, as it gave her a chance to turn over some of her own "inventory."

Ruth enjoyed crocheting, sewing, knitting, canning, baking, reading, and playing the piano. She was active with the Grant Volunteer Fire and Rescue over the years. She also found great joy in spending time camping and fishing, preferably with her family. Ruth was energetic and tough. In her lifetime, she fought cancer, heart disease, and five strokes, but was undeterred in living her life to the fullest.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Marlie Elmore; granddaughter, Sally Ann Kraft; and siblings, Freida Melby, Henrietta Wernsman, Freddy Kain, Raymond Kain, Henry Kain, Bill Kain, CJ Kain, Don Kain, and Alvin Kain.

Survivors include her husband, Mike of Grant; children, Kim (Calvin) Fraser of Brule, Dean (Shannon) Kraft of Gulf Breeze, FL; eight grandchildren, Melissa Hayes, Monica Stutzman, Danny (Christina) Elmore, Jessica Williams, Jennifer Elmore, Carl Dean Kraft, John (Miranda) Kraft, and Charles Kraft; twenty-five great-grandchildren, Karlielynne, Kenzie, Reggie, Colton, Riley, Angel, Ivy, Isaiah, Emma, Austin, Levi, Jada, Joshua, Lilly, Andrew, Dustin, Sabryna, Janelle, Maciah, Brook, Jordan, Justin, Hailey, Caelab, Jacob; great-great-granddaughter, Bellamy; her siblings, Alice Bauer of Greeley, CO, Clara Andersen of Ovid, CO; siblings in law, Bill (Ellen) Gartner, & Chuck Gartner all of Crawford, Audrey (Danny) Martin of Grant, Janice Beck of Holyoke, CO; along with many other relatives and friends.

A memorial has been established in Ruth's memory for later designation. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com, where the service will be streamed live for those unable to attend.

Memorial services will be on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at the Grant United Methodist Church in Grant with Pastor Lorri Kentner officiating. Interment of cremains will be at a later date.

Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.