Ruth Elaine Jaeckel, 86, died of a stroke on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 in Englewood, Colorado. She was born July 20, 1929 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the daughter of Elwood O. and Ila Jones Johnson. She attended kindergarten in Cheyenne and grade schools in Aurora, Denver, Alamosa and Pueblo, Colorado. She graduated from high school in Corydon, Iowa. She attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana from 1947 thru 1949 and then transferred to the State University of Iowa in Iowa City to complete a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 1951. She served as a Methodist missionary at a home for children in Constantine, Algeria thru the fall of 1951 and winter of 1952. Upon her return, she taught 3rd grade in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and 5th grade in Ottumwa, Iowa. On June 14, 1953 she married Henry F. ("Hank") Jaeckel whom she met at Iowa U. The ceremony was held at the Methodist Church in Corydon, Iowa. The couple made their home in Ottumwa, Iowa where Hank worked for John Morrell & Co. as an industrial engineer. To this union were born three sons, all in Ottumwa: Karl (1955), Kurt (1958) and Eric (1961). The family relocated to Arkansas City, Kansas in 1964 and to El Paso, Texas in 1970. During that time Ruth was primarily a homemaker. Hank and Ruth lived in Memphis, Tennessee from 1982 thru 1984. Then for 31 years they made their home in Tupelo, Mississippi. In the fall of 2015 they moved to Englewood, Colorado to be near son Karl. Throughout Ruth's life she was an advocate for change and the betterment of social conditions. She wasn't afraid to tackle issues that were controversial and sometimes at odds with public opinion. Her life interests/causes included helping kids with learning disabilities, supporting equality for gays and lesbians, exploring religion and politics. She was an attentive listener, a collector of data, an avid reader and a life-long learner. She was eager to engage in meaningful conversation and an exchange of ideas. She respected individuality and saw worth and dignity in every person. She is lovingly remembered for channeling news and clippings of interest to friends and family members. She was a member the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFlag). She served on the boards of Mississippi Common Cause and the Southern Progressive Alliance for Exploring Religion (SPAFER). In 2000 she and Hank founded the Unitarian Universalist Community in Tupelo, Mississippi. She and Hank celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Big Lake State Park in Missouri and their 60th wedding anniversary in Door County, Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers/sisters-in-law Bud and Ruth Jaeckel, Keith Valentine and Charles Wellington. She is survived by her husband Hank, her three sons Karl, Kurt (Angela), Eric (Anne), four grandchildren Levi, Kalika (Jon Ayin), Jenna and Breanna and two sisters Lael Wellington and Kay (Don) Weede. A celebration of her life will be held on Father's Day weekend in Iowa.
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