Ruth Marie Duprey

Ruth Marie Duprey, 89, of Van Wert, passed away Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center in Van Wert.

She was born February 12, 1929, in Logan County, the daughter of Agnes (Houchin) and Larimer Herring, who both preceded her in death. She married John J. Smith of Bellefontaine in 1947 and he preceded her in death in 1965. In 1970, Ruth married Rufus Duprey of Van Wert, who preceded her in death in 2012.

Survivors include four children, Deborah (David) Gamble of Whitewater, Wisconsin; Steve Smith of Angola, Indiana; Nancy Jayne Smith of Van Wert, and Barbara Smith-Steiner of Lampasas, Texas; eight grandchildren, Kristen (Jeremy) Monday, Matt (Angela) Gamble, Meghan (Jake) Davis, Bea Smith, Zoe Smith, Abigail (Aaron) Stancik, Elizabeth (Evan) Russo, and Logan (Tatiana) Schaadt; and seven great-grandchildren, Gehrig and Thorpe Monday, Jace Davis, Olivia, Madden, and Shepp Stancik, and Kelsey Schaadt. Ruth is also survived by her nieces, Beth Miller, Judith Shenk, Catherine Shenk, Janet Laird and Linda Pauken; and exchange student Claudia Oliveira Lima Coelho, all of whom she regarded as daughters.

Ruth grew up in Bellefontaine, where she graduated from high school in 1947. She was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in rural Van Wert County, the YWCA of Van Wert County, Modern Mothers Home Extension Club, the United Methodist Women, and the First Presbyterian Church’s Read & Review Book Club.

She will be remembered fondly for never meeting a stranger, her zeal for lifelong learning, her love of crossword puzzles, always caring about others, and her lifelong quest of clipping newspaper articles to send every relative to make sure they were up to date on the most recent information that likely had nothing at all to do with them. It was always much appreciated and brought a smile to our faces. Is there anyone in Van Wert County that hasn’t had the joy of eating her potato rusks?

Ruth was also preceded in death by her infant son, William Duprey; her sister, Marjorie Shenk; her brother-in-law, Robert Shenk; and an infant great-granddaughter, Harper Davis.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 18, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory, with the Rev. Greg Wack officiating. A private family burial will take place in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Visitation is from 3-8 p.m. Saturday, March 17, and an hour prior to services on Sunday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials: Bethel United Methodist Church or Thomas Edison Early Childhood Center.

Condolences may be expressed at www.alspachgearhart.com.