Ruth Ann Babekuhl of McKinney, Texas passed away January 23, 2021 at the age of 75 after a recent diagnosis and short battle with cancer. She was born on March 22, 1945, to John Bestge and Ella (Martens) Bestge in Worthington, Minnesota. Ruth Ann met and fell in love with Robert Edward Babekuhl and, following a three-month courtship, the two eloped on February 21, 1970 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Don’t ask her sister, Deanna, about this. She may or may not still be a bit upset that Ruthie didn’t tell her of the marriage plans, despite bumping into her on her wedding day when Ruth was out shopping for her wedding attire.)
Ruth was a lover of life. As a teenager, she was an avid water skier and part of her town’s local waterskiing pyramid team. She participated in 4H, raising a Hampshire Pig that brought home the Grand Champion prize at the Minnesota State fair. (This might be an elaborate, family exaggeration but the family does have a Pig Trophy, so they will continue telling the story.) She made a last-minute decision to change her college plans from cosmetology to nursing at the suggestion of her mother and entered Catholic Nursing School in South Dakota. (Ruth might still be on the naughty list with the nuns at school from her antics of stacking wine glasses in their doorways to block them from easily leaving their rooms to enforce curfew.) Ruth had a love affair with oil painting that was passed down from her mother and that she passed down to her daughter as well as any person she could wrangle into her paint room. Many fantastic Saturdays were spent “Painting with Ruth!” Ruth even volunteered at a local Assistive Living Facility to give painting classes to the residents there.
Ruth loved Jesus and shared him with as many people as she could. She was a founding member of Pin Oaks Christian Fellowship in Anna, Texas, and enjoyed watching her church grow and reach others for Jesus. She lived a humble and sweet life that drew others to Christ in a quiet way. One of her favorite gifts to give others was a Bible.
She is survived by her daughter, JoNell Geren and husband, John of Anna, Texas; sons, Jason Herbert Babekuhl of Van Alstyne, Texas, Thomas John Babekuhl and Jessica Ledbetter of Melissa, Texas, and William Robert Babekuhl and wife, Sesily, of Van Alstyne, Texas; grandchildren, Andrew Geren, Mary Beth Geren, Simon Geren, Bailey Babekuhl, Ella Babekuhl, and Lily Ruth Babekuhl; sisters, Deanna Warner of Yankton, South Dakota, Barb Grimm of New Castle, Wyoming, Karen Anderson and Keith of Windom Minnesota; sister-in-law, Carol Ann Welshans and husband, Paul of Eagan, Minnesota; many nieces, nephews, other loving family members and friends; beloved cats, Frankie and Sir Winston Churchill; in addition to several well fed possums and racoons (Jason warned her not to feed the cats in the garage).
Ruth Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Babekuhl; parents, John and Ella Bestge; sister-in-law, Cathy Bailey; and brothers-in-law, Wayne Warner, Ken Grimm, and George Bailey.
A funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon, Thursday, January 27, 2021 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home Chapel, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas. The service will also be live streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Ruth Ann’s obituary page by clicking on the following link: https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/ruth-ann-babekuhl. After the service, the recorded live steam will be available for viewing at the same link location. (In honor of Ruth’s lifelong and ridiculously grandiose aversion to gum chewing, we will uphold a strict rule of “NO SMACKING!” Please refer to sister Karen’s scarred arm where Ruthie first introduced her to serious repercussions of gum chewing.)
In support of our local, state, and federal government including CDC directives and to protect the physical health, safety and well-being of our community, only 100 guests will be allowed to attend the funeral service. When the maximum number of guests are reached, those who would like to honor Ruth Ann and show their support to her family may remain at the funeral home in your vehicle, where you can watch the live streamed service on your personal device (laptop, tablet or smartphone) or listen through a designated FM radio channel.
Interment is to follow at Highland Cemetery.
A “come and go” visitation will be held Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen. Only a limited number of guests will be allowed to enter the funeral home facility at any one time to maintain social distancing and masks will be required.