Ruth E. (Rhinard) Wenner

Ruth E. (Rhinard) Wenner, 90, of Fishing Creek Township, died early Friday morning, October 1, 2021 at the Bonham Nursing Center, Stillwater.  

Born April 11, 1931 in Fishing Creek Township, she was a daughter of the late Orvie D. and Cora E. (Hess) Rhinard.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Richard D. Wenner, on November 16, 2018. 

 She attended the former Bendertown School and graduated from Benton High School in 1949.  She was a homemaker and also assisted her husband with the operation of the family farm and drove school bus for the Benton Area School District for many years.

Mrs. Wenner took various Penn State Extension courses that included refinishing furniture, sewing and cooking classes.  She came away with one particular casserole meal that the family really enjoyed but future sons-in-law didn't care for at all.  The classes merely expanded her knowledge on what she already knew.

 She was one of four 4-H leaders who started the original St. James 4-H Club in the early 1960's which quickly became the largest 4-H Club in Columbia County at the time with over 100 projects entered in the three day 4-H Junior Achievement Days held in August at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

 She was a member of the St. James United Church  of Christ where she was a primary Sunday School teacher for a number of years and Primary Sunday  School Superintendent.  Later she was the Sunday School teacher for the Young at Heart Class for quite a few years.  She was a member of the Women's Guild and president of the Guild for several terms.  She also served on the Church's consistory.  She had been a member of the Town Hill Over 50 Club and the former Bendertown Grange. 

Mrs. Wenner loved to quilt.  She would rather quilt than eat.  Luckily all her children had learned how to cook and bake.  Among the quilts she made, where every stitch was by hand, was a double wedding ring quilt for each of her children made only from fabric from various projects made by her children.

She and her husband liked to go camping and enjoyed traveling.  They went on several of the Over 50 bus trips.  Some of the areas and states they visited in the United States were the 4 Corners, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, the Black Hills, Mackinaw Island, Branson, MI, Hawaii and Alaska. They also visited the maritime provinces.  They enjoyed many fishing trips to Canada with their son and youngest daughter and her husband for many years.

 Surviving, are her four children:  Kay E. Wenner and Nancy L. Bailey, both of rural Stillwater; Roxanne Boudman and her husband, Tony, of Hughesville; Ricky D. Wenner, of Narvon, PA; five grandchildren:  Jeannette Lentz and her husband, Mark, of East Liverpool, Ohio; Kimberly Rindal and her husband, Angus, of Musselshell, Montana; Torre Boudman and his wife, Kelli, of Stillwater; Risa Rosario and her husband, Bob, of Muncy and Sheyenne Wenner, of Narvon, PA; six great grandchildren:  Adam Rosario, Rebekah Rosario, Kara Boudman, Ashleigh Boudman, Koye Rindal and Keegan Rindal.  Also surviving are  step great grandchildren:  Mark Lentz, Kendall Lentz and Haley Olson; a step great great granddaughter, Sophia Olson and a sister, Audrey Reed, of Allenwood. 

Along with her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Morris Wenner on March 13, 1955; a grandson, Travis Boudman on October 26, 1975; daughter-in-law, Dee Wenner, on October 17th, 2018; a son-in-law, Wayne G. Bailey on June 28, 2009;  three brothers:  Roy G. Rhinard on June 16, 2021; Warren W. Rhinard on April 27, 2003; H. Kenneth Rhinard on Sept. 28, 2003; a sister, Shirley M. Avery on May 18, 2018;

 Private Viewing and Funeral Services will be held at the convenience of the family at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., Benton with Pastor Todd Davis, officiating.  Burial will be in the St. James Cemetery, Fishing Creek Township.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Capital Campaign Fund, Columbia County Christian School, 123 Schoolhouse Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.   The McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., of Benton is honored to serve the Wenner Family. For online condolences or for additional information, please visit our website:  www.mcmichaelfuneralhome.com

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