Ruth V. Allen of North Platte, Nebraska passed away on January 20, 2020 at Centennial Park Retirement Village in North Platte.
Ruth was born on July 19, 1924 in a sod house north of Tryon, Nebraska. She and her sister were raised by their parents on a ranch close to Tryon, Nebraska. She learned to ride horses, take care of cattle and do ranch chores while growing up. She graduated from high school at age 16 and taught school for a couple of years after that. She then went to Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska and obtained a teaching certificate. About that time, Ray Allen came home from military service and they married.
Ruth and Ray bought some land south of Tryon that joined the land owned by Ruth's parents and moved there. Ruth's only child, Stephen, was born in 1950 while they were living on the ranch. Due to Stephen's cerebral palsy, they decided to go someplace where there were more services available for him, so they moved to Thermopolis, Wyoming for three years, then to Worland, Wyoming where Ray worked in the energy business until he retired. They then moved to North Platte, Nebraska to be close to Ruth's parents. Ruth helped take care of her mother until her death at the age of 101. They wanted to go back to Wyoming at that time, but due to Ray's Parkinson's Disease, they stayed in Nebraska.
Ray passed away in 2009. Ruth took care of Stephen his entire life. At his birth, Stephen was not given much chance to live to a very old age, but due to the kind and loving care that Ruth gave him, he lived to be 66. Ruth and Ray bought a motor home so they could travel with Stephen and show him the western United States. Stephen thoroughly enjoyed these adventures. Stephen was the love and joy of Ruth's life.
Ruth is survived by a niece, Pamela (Kevin) McClary of Benton City, Washington; her grandson, James McClary, also of Washington; and a nephew, Jeffrey Lambert of Florida. She also has many relatives and close friends in the North Platte and Tryon areas who will greatly miss her.
Memorials may be made in honor of Ruth's son to North Platte Opportunity Center at PO Box 729, North Platte, Nebraska 69103.
Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at the Church of Latter-Day Saints with Bishop Luke McConnell officiating. Burial will be in the Miller Cemetery near Tryon, Nebraska. Visitation will be from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2020 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, 421 West 4th Street in North Platte, which is in charge of arrangements.