Ruth Neuhauser

Ruth Neuhauser, 96, of Highmore formerly of Robbs Flat died on Sunday, December 12th at Highmore Health Care in Highmore.  A visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 pm on Sunday, December 19th at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre with a 7:00pm prayer service and Eastern Star service. Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 20th at 10:00 am(cst) at the Deep Creek Lutheran Church in rural Midland with burial to follow at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis at 2:30 pm(mst).

Ruth Marie Briggs was born on November 16, 1925, the 7th of 9 children to Fred and Mable Briggs, 70 miles northwest of Pierre, on Robbs Flat in Haakon County, which was Carlin, SD at that time.  Ruth grew up and attended Robbs Flat school for 8 years, walking the mile and a half to school each day, occasionally getting a ride from the Neuhausers who lived 2 miles south.  Even though she was a tomboy as a child, she helped with the work and kids at home and the neighbors.  She always liked to sing and would take the songbook outside and sing all the songs she knew.  She attended high school in Pierre, working for her room and board and doing a lot of babysitting.  She made the chorus in high school and sang for 3 years.  She shocked grain one summer for 15 cents an acre to earn the $12.50 she needed to buy a class ring when she graduated in 1944.

With WWII happening, Ruth joined the war effort as a welder in the Portland, Oregon, shipyards.  Her family called her Ruthie and that was the name worn proudly on her welding helmet.  After the war, she came back to South Dakota, took 2 summer sessions of college at Spearfish Normal and passed the test to receive a 2nd grade certificate.   She came back to Robbs Flat and taught 2 years, her brother Bill left her his car when he went to the Navy so she could drive to school!  She went back to Spearfish the second summer and earning her 1st grade certificate.  

She had known Bob Neuhauser all her life as their ranches were next to each other.  Bob’s sister Doris was her best friend and since Ruth had a car, she took Doris and Bob, who was home on leave from the Army, to a dance.  They were married June 27, 1947, in Aberdeen she taught one more year before moving back to Robbs Flat where they raised their four children. 

Special in Ruth's life were card parties, picnics, dances, baseball games and rodeos.  She was a 4-H leader, raised a huge garden and her own chickens for eggs and meat.  She is a true example of a Christian woman who taught Sunday School and Bible Study and was active in Ladies Aid at the local church. She sewed most of her own clothes as well as her children’s, made lots of quilts, did cross stitch and crocheted many items as well as teaching her children and several of her grandchildren to sew and crochet.  She was a member of the Treasure Hunters Extension Club for many years, belonged to Eastern Star and worked as a teacher’s aide.  She was a correspondent for the Pioneer Review newspaper for many years.

She is survived by her children: Nina (Lynn) of Belle Fourche; Myron of Barboursville, Virginia; Connie (late husband Bunky) of Lowell, Arkansas; and Kevin (Mary) on the ranch.  She is survived by 10 grandchildren:  Troy (Annaluisa) in the Netherlands, Cody (Gabby) in Florida, Tara (Randy) in New York, Kelly (Cindy) and Clay (Candace) in Arkansas, Jodi (Justin) and Whitney (Rikki) in Virginia, Sarah (Eric) in Belle Fourche, and Brianna and Nick in Pierre and 13 great-grands.

She was preceded in death by her husband (Bob), her parents and her siblings.   

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Deep Creek Lutheran Church or Hospice.