Ruth Lillian (Ewers) Balke

Ruth Lillian Balke, 84 of Falls City, Nebraska was born July 20, 1934, in Beatrice, Nebraska to the late Harm and Ahlke Helene (Cramer) Ewers.  She was raised on a farm in the rural Pickrell and Cortland area and was baptized, confirmed and married at Christ Lutheran Church northeast of Pickrell.  On October 8, 1954, Ruth was united in marriage to James Wiley Balke.  They made their home in Lincoln where Ruth worked at Russell Stover.  They then resided in Hastings, Pickrell, and Harbine until 1969, when they made their home in Dawson.  Ruth performed her calling from God as a Proverbs 31 woman, wife and mother and supporting Jim in all his business ventures.  James passed away on June 8, 1989, and Ruth then resided in Falls City.

Ruth was a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 20th & Towle Street in Falls City and a member of the VFW Auxiliary in Falls City.  Ruth passed away on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at the Falls City Care Center having reached the earthly age of eighty-four years, eleven months and ten days.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband James, and sisters Amelia (Harm) Gerdes, Bertha (Melvin) Harms, Ida (Paul) Lipps and Alma (Arnold) Dorn.

Ruth is survived by her children, James K. (Donna Sue) Balke, Mary L. (Lowell) Eickhoff both of Falls City, Lori Balke of Beatrice and Steve Richardson, Shenandoah Iowa; grandchildren Shauna (Mark) Hundley of Hickman, Lacey (Regan) Campbell of Greenbrier, Arkansas, Carla (Clint) Kage of Tecumseh and James Eickhoff of Falls City, ten great-grandchildren, a sister Eunice (Louis) Oltmans and a brother-in-law Arnold Dorn both of Beatrice, sister-in-law Bonnie (Edwin) Roleder of Lincoln, brother-in-law Galen (Evelyn) Balke of Roca. 

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 20th & Towle Street in Falls City with Pastor Andrew Chavanak.  Graveside Services will follow the luncheon and will be held at 2:30 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Cemetery in Johnson, Nebraska.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at The Hall Funeral Home, 2403 Harlan Street, in Falls City.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the family’s choice or to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Condolences can be shared online at www.hallfuneral.net

Services entrusted to Hall Funeral Home-2403 Harlan ST.-Falls City, NE 68355 (402) 245-3131

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