Ruth A. Schleis

Climbing Hill, Iowa - Ruth A. Schleis, 90, Climbing Hill died Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at a Sioux City nursing home.
Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Moville, Iowa. Monsignor Kenneth Seifried will officiate. Burial will be in Westfork Township Cemetery, Climbing Hill. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today, with a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of McCulloch Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Moville.
Ruth was born on Sept. 19,1921, in Sioux City, the daughter of Charles R. and Mary Beatrice (Tulk) Lewis. She was raised in Sioux City and graduated from East High School.
On Dec. 13, 1941, she married Omer Schleis in Dakota City. While Omer was in the services, the family lived in several locations before returning to Sioux City. They moved to Climbing Hill in 1949, where they operated the Schleis’ Tavern for five years. In 1955, she opened the Climbing Hill Cafe and operated it until she retired in 1985. Omer died on March 7, 1991, in Sioux City.
She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Moville. She was also a member of the Climbing Hill Garden Club and had served as president of that club. After she retired from the cafe, she did volunteer work at Mercy Medical Center for nine years. Ruth loved to play cards and was known for her pie making. She was a loving mother and grandmother and was especially fond of young people, who enjoyed stopping in to see her at her home.
She is survived by three children, Jerry and Marie of Lawton, Iowa, Johnny and Roxy of Climbing Hill, and Kathy Wilson of Le Mars, Iowa; 11 grandchildren, Ginny Lee, Julie, Cathy, Joe, Dan, Ann Marie, Scott, Nathan, Chad, Nicole, and Jonathan; 13 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a granddaughter, JaeLynn; a son-in-law, Stan Wilson; two brothers, Paul and Ray; and two sisters, Lucille and Betty.