Obituary of Ruth A. Bak

Ruth Bak, 74, previously of Spirit Lake, passed away Sunday evening, Sept. 18, 2011, at Carriage of Newton, IA. A Private Family Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date. Pence~Reese Funeral Home in Newton, have been entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorials in Ruth's name are being designated to the A-T Children's Project ( www.atcp.org), a non-profit, tax-deductible organization, working to find a cure for a rare genetic disease, ataxia-telangiectasia, which two of her grandchildren, LaShalle Bak and Zane Hussmann, live with. Ruth A. Bak, the daughter of Marguerite (Stokesbery) and Clayton Babcock, was born May 2, 1937, in Mason City, IA. She graduated from Spirit Lake High School, Class of 1955, and later received a Bachelor's Degree from Ferris State College in Big Rapids, Michigan. On April 5, 1959, Ruth was united in marriage with Borge Bak in Spirit Lake. She had devoted her life to her family. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, step-father Titus Menke, a sister Marilyn Gouge, and a brother Don Babcock. Those left to honor Ruth's memory include her six children: Dennis (Cheryl) Bak of Billings, MT., Julie Bak (Pete Hussmann) of Newton, Dana (Linda) Bak of Apple Valley, MN., Wendy (Bob) Shafer of Roanoke, VA., Dale (Julie) Bak of Phoenix, AZ., and Trudy (David) Schumacher of Sioux Falls, SD; and thirteen grandchildren: Ryan and LaShalle Bak of Billings; Corey Bak of Des Moines; Noah and Zane Hussmann of Newton; Miranda and Katie Bak of Apple Valley; Libby, Haley and Eagan Shafer of Roanoke; Bethany Bak of Orlando, FL; and Sara and Jack Schumacher of Sioux Falls. She is also survived by three sisters: Delores Metcalf, Joan Post and Jani Galloway; and two brothers: Jack Babcock and Paul Babcock; and her many friends.