Ruth Stephenson

R uth (Dancer) Stephenson peacefully passed away on April 2, 2024, at Linden Estates in North Platte, NE, at the age of 98.

Ruth was the second of six children born to Roy and Katherine (Griffin) Dancer.  She was born November 2, 1925, in the home of Pete and Ruby McKinley in Sutherland, NE.  She and her siblings grew up on the Dancer family ranch, north of Sutherland, in McPherson County.  Ruth attended District #60 country school from grades 1 to 8 then graduated from McPherson County High School in 1943 in a class of eight students.  While in high school she had the opportunity to serve in the North Platte Canteen.

After high school, she taught school for a year then worked as a nurse's aide at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver and at the hospital at Los Alamos, NM.

While in New Mexico, Ruth met Vernon "Steve" Stephenson, her husband of 64 years.  They were married on March 6, 1948, in Colorado Springs, CO, and had three daughters.

Ruth did the bookkeeping for her husband's construction business and was happy being a stay at home mom.  She enjoyed having time to garden, sew, and after the children grew up, oil painting.

Ruth and Steve lived in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas and enjoyed traveling in their motor home.  Following retirement, they moved to Sutherland for 18 years and were members of the Sutherland Methodist Church, then they moved to North Platte.  Ruth and Steve enjoyed spending winters in the Happy Trails R.V. Park in Surprise, AZ.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Roy and Katherine Dancer; her husband, Steve; daughter, Glenna Meyer; infant sister, Mary Ellen; brothers, Robert and Harlan Dancer; and granddaughter-in-law, Julie Zittergruen.

Survivors include her daughters Beverly Mason (Jim) of Salida, CO, and Donna Zittergruen (Van) of Farmersburg, IA; grandchildren, Sara Zittergruen, Amy Lundy (Kevin), Evan Zittergruen, Brooke Halladay (Ashley), and Ryan Meyer (Danette); great-grandchildren, Mikayla and Rowan Lundy, Ezra Halladay, Avery and Blake Zittergruen, Bentley Miller, and Marley Meyer; sisters, Beth Newberry and Myrna Hallsted; sister-in-law, Elaine Dancer; and many other family.

Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 8, at Odean Colonial Chapel with Pastor Mark Baldwin officiating.  Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery, south of Sutherland.  Visitation is prior to the service at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com.  Memorials can be sent to the Sutherland Methodist Church, PO Box 337, 69165.