Cover photo for Ruth M. Wiegers's Obituary

Ruth M. Wiegers

Ruth M. Wiegers


Ruth M. Wiegers of Boise passed away on January 24 at age 92. Born in 1926, Ruth was the oldest child of Ernest and Myrtle Counsell. She grew up on a dairy farm near Osage, Iowa, with two siblings. Shortly after she moved to Denver in 1948, she fell when the high heel on her shoe broke as she stepped off a streetcar. She also fell for the man who caught her, C.E. “Bud” Wiegers. They were married for 55 years, until he died in 2004.
Bud spent over 20 years in the Air Force, so he and Ruth saw the world. Their first son was born in Japan, the second in California, and their daughter in Maine. All five of them then headed to Europe for a three-year tour of duty in Italy and France. The family settled in Boise in 1965 upon Bud’s retirement from the Air Force.
Ruth’s educational plans had been disrupted by illness after graduating from Osage High School. She finally collected her bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors from Boise State College in 1972.
Ruth was extensively involved with her community, performing many types of volunteer work and leadership roles over the years. Her volunteer efforts included Head Start, Cub Scouts, Parents and Youth Against Drug Abuse, Parent-Teacher Organizations, Neighborhood Watch, tutoring, and more. Her many years of public service were recognized in 1991 when she was honored in the “Portrait of a Distinguished Citizen” feature in the Idaho Statesman. Ruth received another great honor in 2002, when she carried the Olympic torch in Boise as part of the winter Olympic Games held in Salt Lake City. She proudly displayed her torch in her various homes for the rest of her life.
Music was an important part of Ruth’s life. She was a skilled pianist and loved to sing. Her singing activities ranged from churches and high school glee club, to Madrigals and the singing group at Brookdale Senior Living in Boise, where she resided for 11 years. She and the rest of the family also loved to play games of any kind: card games, board games, Yahtzee, Chinese checkers, anything. She especially enjoyed Pinochle, Bridge, and Mahjong. Ruth also was an avid reader, with her hands on a book until her last days.
Ruth is survived by her children, Karl Wiegers (Happy Valley, Ore.), Bruce Wiegers (Boise), and Kathy Reynolds (Littleton, Colo.); and four grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her husband, Bud; her brother Carlin Counsell; and her sister Marise Groves.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel with burial to follow at Morris Hill Cemetery. Viewing will be held from 9 a.m. until the service time. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to the Idaho Youth Ranch.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ruth M. Wiegers, please visit our flower store.

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