Ruby Leona Byriel

Ruby Leona Byriel, the daughter of Samuel Winfred and Mabel Oranna (Oakley) Stewart was born May 22, 1925, in Audubon Iowa at her Grandparent’s home and died September 3, 2016 at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 91 years, 3 months, and 11 days.
Ruby was initially raised in Audubon and later after the family moved to several locations settled in the Auburn and Lake City areas. Ruby was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon by Pastor E. Nielsen in 1946. She attended Audubon grade school. The family moved to Sac County and Ruby graduated from the Auburn High School with the Class of 1942.
On March 2, 1945, Ruby was united in marriage to Marvin S. Byriel in Des Moines, Iowa at the Grandview Lutheran Church. They were blessed with two children Steven and Laurie. This union enjoyed 63 years until Marvin died in January of 2009.
Ruby was employed as the secretary for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa for eleven years and then worked 16 years as the Deputy Audubon County Recorder before she retired in 1991.
Ruby was a consummate volunteer. Even into her early 90's she was a member of and active in the Hospital Auxiliary, the Friendship Home Auxiliary, Federated Women's Club, working at Caring and Sharing, and delivering Meals on Wheels well into her late 80's. She served her church in many ways including crocheting prayer shawls, quilting, attending Friday Bible study, and was a member of Naomi Circle. Ruby enjoyed reading, traveling to see family, playing cards, having coffee and lunch with friends and especially her sister-in-law Alice, baking cookies and brownies for her great-grandchildren, and communicating with her iPad on FaceTime with her family.
Preceding her in death was her husband Marvin; her grandson Scott Byriel; her parents Samuel and Mabel Stewart; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Peter and Anna Byriel; her brothers John and wife Donna Stewart, Robert Stewart and Willard Stewart; her sister Roene and husband Marvin Hiler; her brothers-in-law and sister-in-law Russell Kauffman, Donna Byriel, Harvey Byriel, and Donald Byriel.
Survivors include her children Steve and wife Sherry Byriel of Atlantic, IA; Laurie and husband Wyman Nelson of Blair, NE; her grandchildren Sarah and husband David Farnsworth of Polk City, IA, Stephanie Byriel and friend Brett Penager of Chicago, IL., Andrea and husband Eric Weichers of Ankeny, IA, and Bradley and wife Annie Nelson of Sioux Falls, SD.; her great grandchildren Clare and Ayla Farnsworth of Polk City, IA; Garrett and Leah Weichers of Ankeny, IA and Olivia and Samuel Nelson of Sioux Falls, SD., her sister Martha and husband Luke Dawson of Warner Robbins, GA.; her sisters-in-law Maxine Stewart of Auburn, IA, Alice Kauffman, of Audubon, IA, Delores Byriel of Ames, IA, Delores Stewart of Des Moines, IA; her brothers-in-law Glenn Byriel of Boone, IA and Russell and wife Wynn Byriel of Madrid, IA, nieces, nephews, other relatives, her life-long friend Violet Andersen and many other friends.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Doug Opp on Tuesday, September 6, 2016, at 10:30 A.M. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The honorary casket bearers will be Darrell (Arch) and Violet Andersen, Robert and Elaine Sornson, Richard Hiler, Rick Byriel, Perry Byriel, Jon Byriel, and Mike Byriel. The casket bearers will be Larry Stewart, Steve Stetzel, Brian Byriel, Russell Byriel, Jim Byriel, and Bob Beetler. The family will meet with friends Monday evening, September 5, 2016, from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa.