Ruth Fay Blewett

Ruth Blewett, age 88, Raymond, the widow of William Blewett, died early Tuesday morning, August 21, 2007 in the transition unit of St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2007 at 11 AM in the First Presbyterian Church at Raymond with Pastor Donna Nickels officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. Music will be presented by Deb Waldner as pianist and Craig Hinman as soloist. He will sing "Amazing Grace". The congregation will sing "Beyond the Sunset" and "The Old Rugged Cross". Honorary casketbearers will be all family and friends with the active casketbearers being Keith Erickson, Alan Schmidt, Marshall and Scott Drexler, John and Richard Mills, Russ Hurlbert and Craig Hinman. Visitation will be held on Friday from 6-8 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark with a public prayer service beginning at 7PM in the Chapel. Visitation will continue on Saturday morning one hour preceding services at the Church in Raymond. She was born on June 4, 1919 near Geneva, Nebraska, the daughter of Oliver and Eva (Baumann) Drexler. At the age of 4 she moved with her family near O'Neill, Nebraska and later to a farm near Emmett, Nebraska. In 1926 the family moved to a farm near Clark where she grew to adulthood. While living in the Clark area, she attended the N.W. Woodland School and then 2 ' years of high school at Ash Consolidated School north of Raymond. On October 20, 1937 she was united in marriage to William 'Bill' Blewett at Raymond. They made their home near Raymond where they farmed and Bill did mechanic work. In 1968 they moved into Raymond. Bill died on April 29, 1971. After Bill's death, she drove school bus for the Clark School District for 15 years and also cooked in the Clark School for 8 of those years before retiring. Ruth has continued to make her home in Raymond until just recently when she would stay at her daughters, Theoda's home in Pierre occasionally. She was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church at Raymond where she served as Trustee and has also taught Sunday School for many years. She had also served as chairman of the Ladies Aid for several years. In the community Ruth was a former member of the P.T.A. having served as its chairperson and helped get the hot lunch program started in Raymond. She also was a member of the Helping Hand Club and the Baker Post 209, American Legion Auxiliary where she had served as chairperson and treasurer. Grateful for having shared in her life are her daughters, Wilma Bailey and husband Bruce of Burbank, CA and Theoda Blewett and longtime friend Bob Hicks both of Pierre and a sister-in-law, Violet Drexler of Clark, many nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband and two sisters, Edna Odson and Wendella 'Arlene' Hatfield. Funeral arrangements are by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark. Email condolences at www.furnessfuneralhome.com