Obituary of Ruth Elaine Neel

Ruth Elaine Ritscher was born on June 23rd, 1931, to Albert and

Bertha Palmer Ritscher in South Bend, Indiana. Ruth spent her early

years living in Baltimore and Pittsburgh before joining the US Air

Force in 1951. She completed basic training in San Antonio, Texas and

was then transferred to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she worked

in the meteorology department. It was there that she met and married

her boss and husband of 67 years, Loyd Wayne Neel.

 

Ruth and Wayne married in Dumas, Texas on August 2nd,1953. After

their time in the Air Force was over, they moved to Lubbock and both

attended Texas Technological College - now known as Texas Tech

University.

 

Ruth was a homemaker and was always very active in the churches she

attended. Her faith was a very important part of her life and she

lived a life of gratitude for all the many blessings and good things in

her life.

 

Ruth received her RN after her children completed middle school and

had a 20 year career in hospital nursing. She loved classical music, golf,

playing bridge, reading, and watching "Judge Judy", "The Golden Girls"

and "Jeopardy"

 

She is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Karen and Tony_

Gonzalez, Katherine and Paul Claassen, her grandchildren, Jonathan

Pilgrim and his wife, Samantha and their son, Nathan, David Gonzalez,

Keaton Claassen and his wife Hannah, and Kimberly Claassen.

 

Her family is very grateful for the Coronado Villa staff who helped her

so much, and her compassionate and loving caregivers who took such

wonderful care of her!

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