Ruth Anna Yanken, age 88 of Arnold, passed away Tuesday September 26, 2017 at Lemay Health and Rehab in Ft. Collins, CO.

Ruth Anna Brower was born February 9, 1929 in White Lake, SD.  She was the oldest of the  nine children born to Gerrit and Miriam (Leach) Brower.  When Ruth was 7 years old, the family relocated to Arnold, NE from South Dakota, where she happily lived for 80 years.  In 2016, she moved to Colorado to be closer to her two daughters.  At age 14, she met Kenneth Yanken at a church event.  Kenneth was smitten with Ruth from that day forward.  They were married on her 17th birthday and enjoyed almost 50 years of marriage together. They loved the community of Arnold and the surrounding sandhills.  Ruth was an active member of the Arnold Church of the Nazarene where she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at nine years of age.  She faithfully served as the church pianist for 75 years and helped in many other capacities over the years.  Ruth lived a contented life, finding fulfillment in being a homemaker who loved cooking and entertaining for friends and family.   She also served as an Arnold school bus driver for over 40 years and spoke often about the enjoyment she received from driving her routes and interacting with the kids.  Ruth was truly a caregiver with a servant heart.  Over the years, she faithfully and selflessly cared for her husband Kenneth’s aging grandparents and his mother Nancy, for her sister-in-law Marlene, for husband Kenneth following his debilitating stroke, and for her own mother who lived with Ruth the last four years of her life.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth; daughter Shirley Ruth; parents Gerrit and Miriam; brothers Lowell, Melvin and Gerald; sisters Lorraine and Dorothy; brother-in-law Norris;  and sister-in-law Marlene.

She is survived by daughters Rogene Lowe and Renee (Ron) Cunningham; grandchildren Wendy (Denny) Stelk, Colin (Valerie) Cunningham and Kacey Lowe; and great-grandchildren Austin Stelk, and Isla and Zadi Cunningham.

Memorials will be presented to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday September 30, 2017 at the Arnold Methodist Church with Pastor Dynette Oberg officiating.  Burial will follow at the Arnold Cemetery.  Visitation will be from noon until 9:00 p.m. Friday September 29, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.