Ruth Knop

Ruth Knop, 100, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Monday, August 10, 2020, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.

Ruth was born August 10, 1920, in Burt, Iowa, the daughter of Rev. M.E. and Emma (Schneider) Seltz, who later was a Pastor in Atlantic. He died while in office here in 1947. There being little help for Pastor’s widows in those days, her mother went to work as an RN. Ruth had one sister, Esther Auerbach, who is deceased. They moved to Atlantic when Ruth was seven and graduated from Atlantic High School in 1937. She was involved in the music programs, for which she received high ratings. Ruth, then at 16 years old, attended AIB school, studying shorthand and typing. She worked as a secretary in Des Moines and Atlantic before marrying Bill Knop on April 12, 1941. They were childhood sweethearts, and their first date was a 4th of July picnic. They moved to California where Bill worked in an aircraft factory before being called into the Army Air Corps. Ruth was working in a bank there when she had their first child, Sherryl. Upon his discharge in 1946 they returned to Atlantic.

The family farmed west of Atlantic. Ruth was new to farming, and especially new to having no running water, electricity or indoor plumbing! She was a stay at home mom for 20 years, raising the children. They later moved to town and Bill worked for Payless Cashway Lumber in the corporate office, and he traveled some. Ruth worked for the local radio station KJAN and wrote commercials. After 44 years of marriage, Bill died from arterial problems in 1985. He helped build the Nishna Valley Golf course. She later married Russell Jensen, whom she met playing golf. Russ was the manager of Woolworth’s in Atlantic. He had lost his wife so Ruth inherited three stepchildren as well as having three children of her own. After 22 years of marriage he died in 2009. They had moved to the Heritage House earlier that year. Ruth continued to reside there.

Ruth enjoyed traveling and had gone on several cruises, including Europe. Ruth loved to play Bridge along with playing golf and cooking when she was able. She kept busy with activities at the Heritage House, watching her favorite program, Wheel of Fortune, and reading.

She was member of Zion Lutheran Church and belonged to Joy Circle which met at the Heritage House often.

Ruth is survived by daughters, Sherry (Gary) Kluever and Kathy (Bob) Symonds; son, Ron (Teri) Knop; grandchildren, Darren, Lynne, and Chris Kluever, Jennifer Sia, Callie Wilkinson, Grady and Tyler Symonds, and Matthew Knop; great-grandchildren, Callan Kluever, Hailey and Christian Kluever, Anabelle and Charlie Wilkinson, Grayson, Evelyn and Beckett Sia, Cash and Coco Symonds, Macee, Drue and Dylan Knop.

Ruth’s words: “I always had good jobs and good wages. God is good. See you in Heaven.”