Ruth (Schroeder) Bingaman | ||
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| Ruth Rebeckha was born August 11, 1914 to Lloyd Moses McGrew and Sadie Boals McGrew at Seward, Nebraska. She was the eldest of the four children born to the couple. They instilled a love of music to all of their children. Ruth's father taught her to dance at the age of 8 or 10. He taught her to dance to the music of "Red Wing" played as a two-step when various Aunts and Uncles played for lodge dances; box-socials; or hay mow dances. Father Lloyd called square dances; her grand father Albert (and later her brother John) played the fiddle. Her Mother had always wanted to play the piano and gave Ruth the option of doing dishes or to practice the lesson's that mother Sadie had scrimped and saved to provide well into the Depression.
Ruth attended and graduated from Seward High School as a member of the "Class of '32'. She attended her 50th class reunion and had a great time. Ruth would tell her children about her high school memories of getting out of class to assist the choral teacher and playing with the band. However, she expected great grades from her children; and three of them graduated as Valedictorian or Salutatorian of their class. The McGrew family moved to the Climax area of the Sandhills (North of Arnold, Nebraska). Ruth gave health care to the frail neighbor, Mrs. Florence Hall. It was in this neighbor hood that she again attended social gatherings of the day: such as box socials, school events, 4th of July celebrations, or Saturday Night at the Band-Stand Square of “The Bow". She met and was courted by "Pete" or Laurence Schroeder. According to family lore, courting was not always a fair game in that area. But, Pete was quietly persistent and glib of tongue. Ultimately, Pete and Ruth were married June 17th of 1933 at the Methodist Episcopal Church at Broken Bow, Nebraska. Their witnesses were J. Henry Schroeder and Esther Keyser. In later years Aunt Esther spilled the beans re the story of their daring escapade after the ceremony: The brother's were driving thru town honking the horn of the old Model T while the bride and bridesmaid were Kicking their heels and bare legs out the side of the car from the back seat. Tsk, TSK!!! Pete and Ruth first lived in a sod house there in the Climax Community; followed by other areas of the Sandhills. This first home had only a dirt floor and a cloth that covered the ceiling to cut down somewhat on the dust. (However, snakes could and did drop down from above, scaring the life out of Ruth.) They started with one cow, a very old mare, and a half broke stallion. Ruth would have to hold his halter when Pete would hitch "the team" to the hated cultivator or lister. Yet, his old horse brought Pete home a few times that the rider was disoriented by the weather or darkness. When he was late, Ruth would always place a lantern in the window of the old Soddie to guide him home. The couple had five children born alive to them: Joan Ruth in 1934; Betty Rae in 1936; John Robert in 1939; Merrill Mac in 1942; and Carrie Jean in 1945. The winter of 1945 was extra hard for them with the children being ill with the Flu, Measles, Mumps, Scarlet fever, and Whooping Cough. They heard of the lush gardens producing wonderful sweet corn and tomatoes in the southwest corner of Iowa. So in the spring of 1946, they moved near Dutch Hollow at Thurman, Iowa. The truck load of horses, they had accumulated by then, were lost in the quicksand bottom of one of the creeks. So, two years later, in 1948 they moved to the current home south of Hastings where they purchased the original 94 acres from his parents, John and Alta Schroeder. They were true, equal partners in their endeavor to farm, and to raise a cattle herd. They added another 97 acres to their farm in the mid 50's. Shortly after they had their land paid for "free and clear"; Pete passed away in the fall of 1970, after a long illness fighting against Cancer. Ruth again was a giver of care: this time to her ailing husband of 37 years. Ruth had very little time to practice her piano. We are not sure when she got her own piano. I believe her parents brought their original to her, here in Iowa. It was always present at the end of the dining/living room just below the stairway to the attic of the "Little Brown House". She protected it dearly, even from her smallest child, and was so proud that none of the ivories were chipped to tear at her hands. Ruth played for many dances when in her 40's. Piano players that could read music and maintain "the beat or rhythm" were greatly appreciated. For many years, Pete and Ruth transported their children and the cousins to the dances in Thurman. Several "Schroeder family" romances and eventual marriages originated there. In the 60's, Ruth met Percy Franks, of Kansas City. She discovered she had been playing "ragtime" back in the Depression days when she was continuing to learn and practice on her own after the music lessons had to end. Mr. Franks became her mentor as he imparted music history, showed her how to put chords together, and to build upon the original melody. She continued the tradition by performing ragtime and giving workshops on the subject as she illustrated her meaning. She still had three young people that continued to correspond with her after her mentoring. Ruth had begun to enter contests; writing short stories and jingles. She won many prizes along the way. However, in 1965 she won a beautiful wooden lapstrake boat on the "Price is Right" Home Showcase; and that, was the beginning of a memorable adventure and a turning point in her life. She and Pete hooked the $3,000 boat onto their old $ 600 Buick and departed to the Colorado River. Ruth wrote: "We followed the river from Yuma to Lake Powell in Utah, putting their boat in wherever accessible and camping along its picturesque shores. We were camping rough with a $29 tent, a camp stove, and the trunk of the car as her cupboards." "I enjoy camping in a tent. I like the fragrance of brewing coffee on a camp stove outdoors, mingling with all the other scents of the morning. I like the proximity to nature and the awareness of my surroundings as I watch the sun come up over those majestic mountain formations and I wonder what secrets they could tell me if we could communicate." The winter after Pete passed away from Cancer, Ruth took several music courses at Iowa Western Community College: music appreciation, voice, and to play the Organ. She also managed the greenhouse for the Glenwood State School for a year. She loved flowers, knew them well, and had a very green thumb. The superintendent at the time complemented her on the beautiful Poinsettias raised and brought to bloom that year. On May 3rd, 1972, Ruth and Lee Bingaman were united in marriage at the First Baptist Church in Malvern, Iowa. The only leg kicking this time around was on the dance floor at the Old 59 supper club near Emerson as they celebrated the union with their families. Ruth and Lee had several interests in common: They added another 169 acres to her farm near Hastings. Although they lived in Omaha; they would spend most of their summer days out at their farm clearing and developing a small park and fishing pond. They took great pride and enjoyment in mowing and maintaining the park. They grew a major garden: beautiful tomatoes to eat and can; humongous watermelon; and squash and pumpkins for very tasty pie. The grand children remember Grandma Ruth out hoeing on hot summer days tending the garden as her Grandmother Mac before her. Ruth was a wonderful cook. She was deservingly proud of the cinnamon rolls and donuts made for her family. When her sons were in high school at Strahan, she would make and donate two trays of glazed donuts every Wednesday that there was a home basket ball game. Lee followed Ruth's interest in the preservation of old time music. They formed a traveling act with Ruth playing Honky Tonk and Ragtime Piano; and Lee acting as her MC and story teller. Ruth though, won the "Champion ship Story Teller award in 1981 for her original rendition and writing of "Hay Mow Make Believe". Traveling with Bob Everhart to several festivals through out the Southwest states and California they became "Ragtime Rosie and the Colonel." They even traveled to Europe for some festivals, and she performed on underground Radio in Paris. Lee passed away in April of 1994, 7 days before their 22nd wedding anniversary. Ruth again had spent many long days and nights giving care to a loved one. Under Ruth’s loving attention the loved ones she cared for never suffered from any bed sores as she cooked nutritious meals, snacks, or even "just bites" for them; rubbed her lotions and ointments to their skin and feet! ; and kept them clean, dry, and freshened. Ruth maintained active interest and management of her land in Mills County. After Lee's passing she sold the Omaha home and replaced the "little one- bed room Brown house" on the farm with a lovely double wide pre-fab home. She was not able to maintain her yard as magnificently on the farm, as she had her flowers in Omaha. But, she re wrote and published her novel at age 88. In the novel "Shared Legacy" she perpetuated her love of the land and her love of music. Where ever she was, Ruth enjoyed the sing-a-longs the best. She loved playing for a crowd or just one person who loved to sing. She wrote: " I cannot imagine myself living without the ability to play the piano! How else would I meet all the fascinating people who have shared my love of old time music? I have played the piano in casinos ghost towns, saloons and lowly bars. I have found myself playing on a quiet afternoon in a luxury hotel in London and being asked to come back to play for the late night theater crowd! The same thing occurred in Paris, where a large crowd of international travelers gathered around my piano... and, although many sing with accents, I am always amazed that the world over so many know the words to our old tunes!" Ruth was preceded in death by: her mother Sadie in 1951; her father Lloyd in 1961; her brother Bill in 1973 - His wife Niomia in 1985; her sister Gretchen in 1985 - her husband Bill Flowerday in 2000; her brother John in 1990 - his wife Julia survives and lives near Hastings, Iowa. As well as losing her 1st husband Laurence in 1970 and 2nd husband Lee in 1994; Ruth was preceded in death by three of her five children. This loss affected her deeply and was the start of her declining health. She unexpectedly lost Betty Rae Coghill shortly after Christmas in 1990 due to a traffic accident on the ice. Her first son, John Robert, died of a massive heart aneurism while dancing the polka at an Oktoberfest 10 months later. Now, on December 20th,5 days prior to Ruth’s passing her eldest daughter Joan Ruth McKenzie, passed away at her home near Morrison, Colorado. Joan’s service is still pending at this time. Ruth Rebekha McGrew- Schroeder- Bingaman is survived by: Son: Merrill Mac Schroeder and wife Gail, of Omaha, Nebraska; Daughter: Carrie Jean Edwards of Hastings, Iowa; Son-in-laws: Bruce McKenzie of Morrison, Colorado; and Marlin Coghill of Omaha, Nebraska. Daughters-in-law: JoEllen Keating of Waterford, Virginia and Beth Schroeder of Leesburg, Virginia. All 16 of Ruth's grand children are living. She was also blessed with 32 great grandchildren. Also surviving are In-laws: Gayle Godsey of Glenwood, Iowa; Betty McGrew-Schroeder-Gwin of Temple, Texas; Cameron and Fern Hall of Arnold, Nebraska; and Donald and Doris Schroeder of Malvern, Iowa. Numerous Nieces and Nephews survive as well as Great and Great-great Nieces and Nephews. A very large "Living, Shared Legacy", indeed. We love you mom! | ||