BETHANY, MO: Lila Minnie Rucker, 94 (formerly of Ridgeway, MO) passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at Harrison County Community Hospital, Bethany, MO.
She was born June 1, 1921 in Riceville, IA the daughter of William Carl and Lena W. (Hinz) Baethke. In 1921, Lila was baptized and in 1935 confirmed at St. Paul’s Maple Leaf Lutheran Church in Elmo, Iowa. She attended rural schools in Saratoga Township of Howard County, Iowa and graduated in 1939 from high school in Riceville, Iowa.
Lila served as a country school teacher in the Jamestown and Saratoga Townships for 6 years.
She lived with and took care of her grandparents, Carl and Minnie Baethke from 1943 until her marriage. On June 1, 1945 she married Robert W. Rucker in the Lutheran Church at LeRoy, Minnesota.
Lila and Robert farmed until the fall of 1950 in Howard County, Iowa and then in November moved to Ridgway, Mo where they started farming west of Ridgeway in February of 1951.
From 1959 to 1967, Lila worked full time at Scott’s Grocery and then worked part-time for a while.
She moved to Bethany in July of 1994 to be near Robert who was residing at Crestview Home. Lila became involved with the Alzheimer’s Support Group in August of 1994 and founded the local Alzheimer’s Group. She worked several Memory Walks for Alzheimers.
Lila was a member of the Hope Lutheran Church in Bethany, MO.
Robert preceded her in death on May 30, 1995. She was also preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Eric J. Rucker and a brother, Herb Baethke.
Survivors include sons, Richard (Terry) Rucker, Blythedale, MO and Kenneth Rucker, Cameron, MO; daughter, Shirley (Forrest) Zimmerman, Holt, MO; 9 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren and 7 step-grandchildren; honorary sons, Joe Salmon and Don Bowers and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 26 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in Ridgeway Cemetery, Ridgeway, MO. Friends may call anytime after 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. There is no scheduled family visitation. Memorial may be made to Hope Lutheran Church and/or Ridgeway Cemetery in care of Roberson Funeral Home, PO Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.