Ruth Downing

Ruth Ellen Downing, 80, of Stuart, IA, and formerly of Adair, IA, passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the Stuart Community Care Center.

Ruth was born February 18, 1931 to Roy and Rose (Hofmeister) McMurphy in Adair County, IA. She attended Adair country schools from kindergarten through eighth grade, and then attended Adair High. After high school, she was united in marriage to Paul K. Ernst. Five children were born to this union, Toni, Dean, John, Annette and Debra.


Ruth was a hard worker. She held various jobs including working at the Adair Meat Locker for 11 years and the Adair Community Care Center as the Maintenance Supervisor until she retired. Ruth was a lifelong member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Adair. She loved to play Bingo, do jigsaw and crossword puzzles, read, and travel.


She is survived by her children Toni (Ralph) Peterson of Casey, IA, John Ernst of Des Moines, IA, Annette Ernst of Lac du Flambeau, WI, and Debra (Philip) Maddox of Chandler, AZ; her grandchildren, Teresa (Mark) Williams, Vicki Peterson, and Jamie Stark of Casey, IA, and Nicholas Maddox of Chandler, AZ; her great-grandchildren, Heather Williams, Seth Comly, Gage Koder, Cameron Stark, and Hannah Stark; her sister, Betty (Jim) Lents of Greenfield, IA; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Paul Dean Ernst; her sisters, Norene Comly and Helen Maas; her brothers, Paul and Harold and her great-granddaughter, Leah Stark.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Adair. There will be no scheduled visitation but the family is having a luncheon at the church following the memorial service. The committal service will be a private family gathering at a later date.

Hockenberry Family Care in Adair, IA, is in charge of the arrangements.


"Dean round up the family, I'm coming home!"