Ruth F. Keller Wagner

Remembering Ruth with Love... Ruth F. (Buckwalter) Keller Wagner, 89, formerly of Stevens and Myerstown, PA, died Monday morning in Ephrata Manor, Ephrata, Lancaster County, PA, where she had resided since June 18, 2003. Born in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri, she was a daughter of the late Ira and Della (Gibbons) Buckwalter. Her first husband, Jacob W. Keller, died June 6, 1980, and her second husband, Calvin J. Wagner, died in 1986. She retired in 1980 after serving over 20 years as a nursing assistant with Maple Farms Nursing Center, Akron, PA, and had worked at Denver Nursing Home, Stevens. Ruth was a member of East Cocalico Church of the Brethren, Reamstown and a former member of Mohler's Church of the Brethren, where she was a Sunday school teacher, member of the Ladies Aide Society, member of the choir, and leader of the quilters of the church. She also was the seamstress for the costumes of the church's Christmas pagents. She was also a former member of the Myerstown Church of the Brethren in Lebanon County. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, knitting and attending public sales to buy sewing baskets and buttons. Surviving is a son, Paul B., married to Deborah (Saylor) Keller, Stevens, PA; 4 daughters, Anna E. Miller, Ephrata, PA; Ruth K., married to Nelson Gunn, Baltimore, MD; Naomi K., married to Lloyd Moyer, Bethel, PA; and Gwendolyn K., married to Abram Shrom, Denver, PA (with whom she last resided); 23 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; a brother, Norman, married to Jean (Pugh) Buckwalter, Palmyra, MO; and 4 sisters, Linnie, married to Warren Frost, Palmyra, MO; Della Spratt, Philadelphia, MO; Mary, married to Donald Hansbrough, Palmyra, MO; and Martha, married to William Sargeant, Palmyra, MO.; step-sons, Richard married to Ann (Harding) Wagner, Robert married to Erlene (Gibble) Wagner, Wilber married to Mary Lou (Krause) Wagner, Kenneth married to Joyce (Fry) Wagner, all of Myerstown; step-daughters, Janet married to Herman Myers, Daluth, GA; Gay Hitz, Shellsville; Carol married to Ronald Risser, Sherburno, NY; 14 step-grandchildren; 18 step-great-grandchildren 1 step-great-great-grandchild. In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by a son, Jacob W. B. Keller, a step-daughter, Joyce (Wagner) Kinzer, 8 brothers, Jacob, Cleland, Marvin, Landis, Dan, Elvin, Earl and Harry Buckwalter and a sister, Margaret Halgren, and a granddaughter, Robin Keith. Viewing Service A viewing will be held from our parlor on Thursday evening, October 7, 2004, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and at the church Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 8, 2004, at 10:00 AM from Ruth's church, East Cocalico Church of the Brethren, Bunker Hill Road, Reamstown, PA 17567, with The Rev. James H. Rhen and The Rev. Glenn Hassinger officiating. Burial will be in Mohler's Cemetery, Ephrata Township, Lancaster County, PA. Rather than flowers, the family asks that contributions be sent to East Cocalico Church of the Brethren in Ruth's memory.