CEDAR RAPIDS -- Ruth Ballard Rathjen, 88, of 3175 Sandy Beach Rd., Solon, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004, in her home following a long illness. Memorial services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Unity Center, 3791 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE, by the Rev. Thelma Hembroff. Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Unity Center. Cedar Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements. Surviving are a daughter, Ruthann Huberty and husband Christopher of Solon; two sons, Ronald Rathjen and wife Sharon of Missouri City, Texas, and David Rathjen; a sister, Opal Grove and husband Joe of South English; a grandson, Craig Rathjen and wife Donna of Houston; great-grandchildren, Jeremy, Beau, Kirby and Colton; a special nephew, Bill Grove of Cedar Rapids; a special niece, Louise Davis of Marengo; a special pet, Zoe; and several other nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ervin; a twin sister, Rena; and eight other brothers and sisters. Ruth was born March 17, 1916, in Parnell, the daughter of John and Bertha (Riffel) Ballard. She married Ervin Rathjen on June 28, 1935, in Williamsburg. She was an inspector at Collins Radio for more than 20 years, retiring in 1981. She attended the Unity Center, and was retired from the IBEW. Instead of flowers, memorials may be made to the Unity Center Building Fund. Please leave a message, tribute or memory on the online guest book at www.cedarmemorial.com on the Funeral Home page under Current Obituaries. Cedar Rapids Gazette 10 November 2004 ------------------------------------- Janice K. Masters was born on December 27, 1939, near Millersburg, IA, a daughter of Kenneth N. And Jessie R .Downing Ballard. She attended rural Yankee Point School and graduated from North English High School in 1958. Other than living in Kalkaska, MI for 6 years, Janice has lived most of her life in Iowa County. She was an accomplished writer and has had several of her poems published. She loved to fish and enjoyed traveling and tending her vegetable gardens. She became a resident of the Williamsburg Care Center in Williamsburg in March 2003. Janice died following an extended illness at the Care Center on Thursday, August 26, 2004. She lived 64 years, 7 months and 30 days. Janice is survived by a daughter: Rhonda Fry and Dave DeFrance of Webster; a brother Chester (Carol) Ballard of North English; a sister Sheila (Willis) Severt of North English; 2 granddaughters: Lindsay & Abbey Fry; special friend Ron Yeater of Parnell and stepfather John Finch of North English. She was preceded in death by her parents. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, August 28, 2004 at the Powell Funeral Home in North English with Pastor Louis Bell officiating. Burial will be in the North English Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 4 pm to 8 pm on Friday, August 27, 2004. A memorial fund has been established for Dollars for Scholars. Powell Funeral Home FINCH, JESSIE R. BALLARD December 02, 1920 - March 02, 2004 NORTH ENGLISH, IA Jessie Ruth Ballard Finch was born on December 2, 1920 near Keswick, IA, a daughter of Roy and Mabel Edna Graham Downing. She graduated from South English High School. Jessie was united in marriage to Kenneth Newton Ballard on June 25, 1939 in Cedar Rapids. They farmed near North English before moving into town in November 1978. Kenneth preceded her in death in October 1979. On November 2, 1980, Jessie married John Henry Finch in North English. She worked a short time in Housekeeping at the University of Iowa in Iowa City before retiring in 1981. Jessie was a member of the North English United Methodist Church, was active worker at the Community Center, and was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels. She enjoyed gardening and canning. Jessie loved to sew, play cards, and fish. She became a resident of the English Valley Care Center in April 2002. She died following a brief illness on Tuesday, March 2, 2004 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Jessie lived 83 years and 3 months. She is survived by a son Chester Ballard and wife Carol of North English, IA; daughters: Janice Masters of Williamsburg, IA; and Sheila Severt and husband Willis of North English, IA; 3 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; a step daughter Judy Ulin and husband Jerry of North English, IA; step sons: Myron Finch and wife Janice of Baxter, IA and Randy Finch of Cedar Rapids, IA; 6 step grandchildren and 6 step great grandchildren. Jessie was preceded in death by her parents, husband; a grand daughter; 3 brothers: infant Harry Downing, Hugh Downing, and Fred Downing; 5 sisters: Mildred VanDee, Eleanore Wichman, Evelyn Bair, Juanita McKay and Adda Danner. Celebration of Life Services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, March 5, 2004, at the United Methodist Church in North English, with the Rev. Mary McAtee officiating. Burial will be in the North English Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service in North English on Thursday, March 4, 2004, from 4 PM to 8 PM. A memorial fund has been established for Alzheimer's Research. Posted to the Iowa county obituaries message board at iagenweb.org. BREI, Ruby Helena Knipfer MCPHERSON, Kansas - Ruby H. Brei, 82, of McPherson, Kansas, formerly of Muscatine, died Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003, at the Hutchinson Hospital in Hutchinson, Kas. Services are 2 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Funeral Home in Muscatine. The Rev. Mark Anderson of the Church of the Living Water will officiate. Pallbearers are Matthew Anderson, Ted Rickets, Jerry Kretschmar, George Kretschmar, Tom Kindler and David Titus. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Following the burial, a time of food and fellowship will be held at the funeral home community room. Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Church of the Living Water of Muscatine or the Foursquare Gospel Church of McPherson, Kas. Ruby Helena Knipfer was born on Dec. 16, 1920, in North English, Iowa, the daughter of Frank and Samantha Ballard Knipfer. She married Jake Brei on June 28, 1941, in North English. She worked in the public school system as a teacher for many years. She was a member of the Foursquare Gospel Church in McPherson, Kas. and a former member of both Church of the Living Water and Ziegler Memorial Lutheran Church. Survivors include her daughter, Susan Kay Snyder and her husband, James of McPherson, Kas.; one sister, Lorna Kretschmar and her husband, Roger; four grandchildren; Carrie Becker and her husband Matthew, Clinton Snyder, Joanna Jarvis and her husband Dustan and David Snyder; four great-grandchildren, Sarah and Rachel Becker and Samantha and Riley Jarvis. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 2001 and three sisters, Fern Knipfer, Sylvia Knipfer and Gail Tomlinson. Muscatine Journal 04 Nov 2003 http://www.rootsweb.com/~iamusca2/obi_b.htm