Ruth Maas

Ruth Jensena Maas, former resident of Cass County, passed away on September 14, 2010, at the Class Act Group Home in Mesa, Arizona, at the age of 98. Ruth was born on March 30, 1912 in Omaha, Nebraska to Theodore Samuel and Jensena (Jacobsen) Madsen. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Massena, Iowa where she graduated from high school in 1930. Following graduation, Ruth went to Shenandoah, Iowa and took her Normal Training to earn her teaching certificate. She also attended Drake University and received her Bachelors Degree in 1965. Ruth taught in rural schools before she was united in marriage to Rex Robert Maas in May of 1935 in Massena, Iowa. They lived on farms near Massena throughout their life together. She returned to teaching as their children got older and taught for several years in rural schools, twenty years in Massena and nineteen years in Lewis, Iowa, until she retired in 1977. Following the death of her husband in 1956, Ruth moved into Massena that same year. In 1970, she moved to Atlantic, Iowa for a short time and then settled in Lewis for thirty years. She enjoyed spending twenty-five winters in Arizona. Toward the end of her last trip to Arizona, Ruth suffered a stroke and moved directly to Remington Heights Assisted Living Facility in Omaha, NE in April 2001; then moved to the Citadel Assisted Living Facility in Mesa, AZ; and at last to the Class Act Group Home in 2006. Ruth was a member of the Massena Methodist Church and later transferred her membership to the United Congregational Methodist Church in Lewis. She was a member of the Retired Teachers Association and a church circle. She is survived by two sons, Don Maas and wife, Shirley, of Grand Island, NE and Roy Maas and wife, Karen, of Mesa, AZ and one daughter, Shirley Ann Johnston, of Mesa, AZ; seven grandchildren, Curt Maas and wife, Joanna, of Chicago, IL, LuCinda Maas of Oklahoma City, OK, Melinda Seagraves and husband, Joe, of Oklahoma City, OK, Lisa Patterson and husband, David, of Wheaton, IA, Brett Johnston and wife, Dena, of Hinton, IA, Kary de Kooker and husband, Ed, of Robbinsdale, MN, and Kevin Maas of Mesa, AZ; eleven great-grandchildren, Ryan and Tony Maas, Jensena, Joe and Jalise Seagraves, Sean and Seth Patterson, Erika and Cole Johnston, Izaak and Brett de Kooker; and step grandson, Sean Border and wife Laurie; step-great-great-grandchildren, Jessica Border and Lauryn and Sean Taintor. Ruth was preceded in death by her mother in 1956, her father in 1971, her husband in 1956; one brother in infancy; and son-in-law, James R. Johnston.Funeral Information There will be open visitation from 8:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Monday through Friday, September 20 through 24. A family visitation will be held for Ruth on Friday, September 24, at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Her services will be held on Saturday, September 25, at 2:00 P.M. in the United Congregational Methodist Church in Lewis, Iowa with interment in the Massena Center Cemetery. Pastor Nadine Aydt will officiate. Roland Funeral Service of Atlantic, Iowa is caring for Ruth"s family and her arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left on the website at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.