Ruth Adele (Deuel) Wiggam age 97, of Loveland, Colo., passed away Thursday, March 18 at Life Care Center of Westminster, Colo. She was born April 17, 1923, in Norfolk, Neb., to parents George and Ida Deuel.
She graduated from Douglas High School in Douglas in 1940. During the war, she lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she married D. D. (Deb) Wiggam, who was on a weekend pass in the Navy. They were married by the Justice of the Peace and they had to grab two unidentified by- standers to be their witnesses on Jan. 18, 1945.
After the war they settled in Wheatland in a small apartment by Garretts Grocery. They moved to a basement apartment by Dr. Rosene and their first daughter, Jo-Ellen, was welcomed into their lives. Deb and Ruth were blessed with Jo, Debbie, Jan, and Russ, who were born in the old Wheatland General Hospital. After all four were in school, Ruth went to work for Lawrence Swallow in the County Clerk office and also the Welfare Office. She managed to work and be involved in the kid’s school activities, like sports and music. The family attended the Congregational Church, where she was an active member of the Dorcas Society. Deb and Ruth enjoyed bowling, playing pinochle, square dancing with their many friends, and taking the family on Sunday drives.
Then in December of 1968 the family moved to Lakewood, Colo. There Ruth worked at the Office of Personnel Management as a highly skilled typist and stenographer. She won many awards for her typing speed and accuracy, which she was very proud of. After leaving OPM, she went to work for the Veteran Affairs, where she retired at the age of 73.
After Deb’s death in 1977, she stayed in close contact with some of her grandchildren. She also enjoyed doing crewel embroidery, crossword puzzles, watching game shows, followed all the Denver sports teams, watching golf, loved to bake, and read books. Most of all, she loved being with her family and going back to visit Wheatland and seeing so many friends, like the Landens, Sherards, Rutzs, Swallows, Schindlers, Haeberles and so many
more wonderful friends. It was fun to go downtown and go thru the many neat stores like Hesteds, Thornes, Marguerites and all the old buildings.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her six siblings, and her husband.
Left to cherish her memories are her three daughters: Jo-Ellen Wiggam, Debbie Smith, Jan Sharpe, and son, Russ Wiggam; seven grandchildren: Justin Schroeder, Josh Koske, Jillian Thompson, Jeremy and Matthew Smith, Eric Wiggam and Christa Johnson, plus nine great grandchildren and a baby boy on the way and two step great grandchildren. Her wishes were to be cremated and be placed by her husband in the Wheatland Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will take place sometime this summer at the City Park and at the cemetery.
