Ruth Hermina (Jurgens) Dobbe

Ruth Hermina (Jurgens) Dobbe, age 93 and formerly of Pleasant Plains, IL.  passed to paradise at her home in Concordia Village on Friday, January 24th, 2020. Ruth was born in Newmansville, IL. on April 7, 1926 to John Herman Jurgens and Eula Bell Stiltz Jurgens.

As a 1944 graduate of Virginia High School, Ruth completed a summer course at Western Illinois Teachers College and passed the required Illinois State Teacher’s Exam. In the fall of 1944, at the age of 18, Ruth became the teacher in a one room school house for Circleville School District No. 26. until 1947 at which time she transferred as a teacher to Ashland Public Schools with Circleville’s consolidation to that district.

In 1949, Ruth returned to a full time student attending University of Missouri. There Ruth met Kenneth H. Dobbe from Huxley, Iowa. They were married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Petersburg, IL on November 23, 1950. Ruth and Ken enjoyed a long and happy marriage for 68 years. After their wedding, Ruth and Kenneth were both employed by Ashland Public Schools.

In 1957, they moved to Springfield, IL. where Ken began teaching at the Springfield Public Schools. Upon school entry of their youngest child, Ruth began teaching at the Springfield Public Schools also. In 1964, Ruth and Ken built a home on five acres near Pleasant Plains, Illinois. At that time, Ruth became employed as the Kindergarten Teacher of Pleasant Plains Grade School where she continued until her retirement in teaching.

After her retirement, Ruth helped develop and coordinate a daycare and preschool at Zion Lutheran Church in Pleasant Plains. Upon Ken’s retirement, Ruth and Ken opened “K & R Kollectibles”, an antique and coffee shop for five years.  Ruth particularly enjoyed making pies for the coffee shop.  Ruth also co-owned  the “Clayville Tea Room” for a short time in 1993. 

In addition to her teaching career, Ruth was an avid gardener, cook, baker and seamstress. With the help of her Granddaughter, Ruth wrote a recipe book for her family.   

Ruth had a strong faith in the gospel and always expressed a clear assurance that Jesus Christ was her Lord and Savior and looked forward to spending eternity in heaven.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and four sisters: Elizabeth Foste, Alberta Balster, Louise Himmel and Marie Burrus.

She is survived by her brother Floyd Jurgens, brother-in-law, Rev. Leroy Dobbe and wife Ruth, son Dale Dobbe and wife Cathy, daughter Janice Dobbe Miller and husband Tom, seven Grandchildren: Jessica Dobbe Vanasse, Ryan Dobbe, Kyle Dobbe, Amy Miller Hamilton, Carrie Miller LaMotte, David T. Miller, T. Isaac Miller.  and ten Great-Grandchildren.

Visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral services at 11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Pleasant Plains, IL. on Saturday, February 1st, 2020.

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