Ruth A. Lownsberry

Ruth A. Lownsberry, the seventh of eight children, was born August 18, 1931 to Clarence Wilber Porter and Alvina Amelia Gwecke in Bismarck North Dakota. A graduate of Bismarck High School, she was attending the Junior College in Bismarck (1951) she was called to Sioux City,Iowa to help her elder sister after a difficult birth. Ruth stayed on afterward and acquired a job as a teller at The First National Bank. Being neighbors of Orville and Mildred Lownsberry, Marion introduced Ruth to the family and was invited to their 4th of July picnic. That is when she officially met Duane. After that night they were inseparable. They were married on September 7, 1952 at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bismarck, N.D. and returned to Sioux City where Duane continued his education at USD Vermillion.

Early in 1953 Ruth lost her father, a few months later she contracted polio. She was one of the lucky ones, it was only the left side of her body, but, gave her problems he rest of her life.

Duane graduated from USD Vermillion in June of 1954, and Ruth gave birth to her first child that July. They moved to Washington D.C. where Duane worked as a CPA . Then in December of 1954,during the Korean War, Duane enlisted in the Army and stationed at Ft. Hood. Ruth followed him to El Paso and gave birth to their second child in December of 1955. One year later, December of 1956, he was honorably discharged and moved to Denver, Colorado to join the General Accounting Office as a Supervisory Auditor.

Unable to find a suitable church in the area, Duane and Ruth joined a small group of Christians meeting at the old Alameda Junior High (now the mini- Coors baseball fields at Alameda and Harlan). Soon a site for the church was chosen and Lutheran Church of the Resurrection was conceived. Their third and last child was born that March and the building at 7100 W. Mississippi Ave in Lakewood opened its doors on April 4, 1957. Ruth was very active in the church singing in the choir, preparing the altar for communion, ensuring the paraments were cleaned and stored properly with each season, heading up several of the womens' committees. She taught Sunday School, helped with fund raising events and she and Duane would not only greet each new visitor with warm smiles and conversation but invite them into their home and hearts. When she wasn't following Duane, with family in tow, she was involved 4-H, Westernnaires, and served on the first Interfaith Council in the 70's. She also was coordinator of the south-western section of Jefferson Counties Meals on Wheels (then part of Jeffco Action Center, now The Action Center).Both Ruth and Duane delivered the hot meals to shut-ins spreading their smiles and warmth wherever they went.

On September 16,2010 Ruth lost her beloved Duane and in 2014 she lost the fight to keep Resurrection open. In 2015, she and her daughter, Marilyn, found Atonement Lutheran and a year later, February 2016 joined he church and choir. That May, Ruth fell and after a short stint in rehab moved into Atria/ Juniper senior center that June, located at 555 S Pierce St. apt#201 This place soon became her home. After a short period of adjustment, she resumed being active in all the centers activities and welcoming new residents. December of 2018, Ruth showed some signs of decline. This continued, and she entered the hospice care program that May. She died in her sleep, in her new "home", while her daughter read to her. She now resides in heaven, with her beloved Duane, 9 years and 2 days later.

She was proceeded in death by her father Clarence (March 1953), mother Alvina (1981),her husband Duane (2010) her brothers Larry, Lester, Paul and Lyle Porter, sister Marion Lien and granddaughter Melisa Zeiderweg ( June 11,2017).

She is survived by her children Marilyn K Heitmann, Janet R (Dave) Alspach, and Gayle A. Singleton; 4 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, her 2 sisters Pearl Johnson (95) of Duluth, Minnesota and Claudia (Roger) Boone of McKenzie, North Dakota.


In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make donations to:

Dementia and Alzheimer's Research Association
455 N. Sherman #500; Denver, CO 80203

or

The Action Center
8755 W. 14th Ave; Lakewood, CO 80215

or

Atonement Lutheran Church
6281 W. Yale Ave; Lakewood, CO 80227

To share a memory of Ruth or leave a message of condolence, please visit the guestbook below.