Ruth Marie Burk

Ruth Marie Burk

The world became a brighter place on February 18, 1932, when Ruth Marie Vogel was born. She passed away on November 6, 2023, with family by her who sang together as she entered heaven.

Ruth grew up on a dairy farm in Wagner, South Dakota with her parents and seven siblings.  Ruth enjoyed delivering milk with her brothers on their bikes.  Growing up on the farm she never went hungry through the Depression.   We all heard stories of her and her mom baking bread or dressing chickens.  The stories of her watching the chickens run around without their heads were hilarious.  During high school, she worked as a server at a local café. This is where she met the love of her life, John Ivan Burk Jr. Ruth and Ivan fell in love quickly, especially after he ate her cooking. The two of them shared the love of dancing. On June 7, 1950, they married and shared fifty-five wonderful years together. They started their family right away and were blessed with ten beautiful children. Ruth was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker.

Ruth had a larger-than-life personality, was quick witted and was an active member of the community no matter where she lived. Ruth always found happiness in dancing and listening to music, especially to big bands. She would always light up when she heard a song that took her back to her younger days of dancing with her beloved Ivan. Ruth’s greatest joy was being surrounded by her family and friends. Despite the chaos of the early years and having a full house, she welcomed everyone with open arms, there was never an outsider at the Burk household. With ten kids, she was busy keeping them in line and raising them to be good people. She was known to keep order in her home with the assistance of a wooden spoon and the children dreaded the words “wait until your father comes home.”   Ruth enjoyed participating in quilting groups and visiting with fellow quilters. This also gave her the time and pleasure to create quilts for all her children and grandchildren. Ruth took immense pride in being involved with St. Philip’s Catholic Church in Cedaredge. She was part of the Altar and Rosary, a lector, Eucharistic Minister, and participated in homebound ministry.

Ruth is preceded in death by her husband Ivan, her sons Joseph and Michael, her daughters Peggy and Susan and granddaughter Amanda.

She is survived by her children and their spouses. (Kathy); Phillip (Betty); (Michelle); Gerald (Beverly); Darrel (Violeta); Dennis (Janna); Annette (Michael); Amy (Paul).

Ruth is further survived by twenty grandchildren and twenty-three great-grandchildren.  Chris (Melanie)+3; Jaime (Ken). Heather (Pat)+2; Eric +3; Andrew (Jessica) + 2 and Amber (Lonnie) +3. Wendy +. Meghan (Juan) +3. Houston (Vanessa) +2 and Jeffrey. Kristina, Ashley (Christian) + 1 ½ and Zachary (Mackenzie). Samantha (Jordan) and Justin (Cay). Sarah (Jonathan) +3 and Adam (Valerie) +1.  Danielle (Brad) and Lane. 

We will be honoring Ruth’s life during mass at St. Phillip’s Catholic Church in Cedaredge, CO on November 13^th at 10:00am. Rosary will precede the mass at 9:30, Lunch after internment.  In lieu of flowers please send donation to St. Jude.