Ruth McKone

Ruth L. McKone age 86 of Lawler, IA, died Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at the Gundersen Harmony Care Center in Harmony, MN. A private family Mass and burial will take place at a later date. Arrangements are with Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Ruth Louise Simon was born in Lawler, Iowa on January 1, 1934, the daughter of William and Ida (Shores) Simon. Ruth attended Waterloo’s Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary and West Waterloo High School. When Ruth was a freshman at West, her family moved to Lawler and she attended Lawler High School. During this time, she met Jack McKone. After that year, the Simons moved back to Waterloo where she resumed her education at Waterloo West graduating in 1952. After high school, Ruth worked for IDS in Waterloo and later worked for the New Hampton Tribune. On April 30, 1955, she married the love of her life Jack McKone in Lawler, Iowa. They made their home in Lawler and raised five children. Ruth was the church organist and choir leader for Our Lady of Mount Carmel for 35 years and played for many weddings, funerals and special occasions. A great lifetime passion of Ruth’s was playing the piano. She started her own piano lesson studio teaching many students over the years. Ruth took great pride in her piano students and held recitals in her home and at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Lawler. She also accompanied Turkey Valley High School instrumental and vocal students when competing in state contests. She was an avid follower of Turkey Valley sports and music activities. Ruth was very involved in the Lawler bridge club and loved to be with her friends for Ladies Day at the golf course, but most of all, Ruth loved to spend time with Jack. Jack and Ruth loved to travel and took many trips throughout the United States usually with their children. Later in life, they continued to travel including to Ireland, several parts of Europe and a winter home in Orange Beach, Alabama that she and Jack enjoyed for 20 years. Of greatest importance to Ruth was her love of family and her Catholic faith. She put her family ahead of herself. She will be greatly missed. Survivors include, her children Jackie, Jane, Jim (Connie), Jenny (Steve) Dosch, and Jess (Lane) Powell; grandchildren, Casey (Jess) McKone, Madison McKone, Nicholas Powell, Joseph Dosch, John Dosch; and great-grandsons Brecken and Benen McKone; brother Keith Simon, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack McKone; parents William and Ida Simon; brothers Frank and Kenny Simon; niece Diane Simon, great-nephew Daniel (Danny) Fratzke; her father and mother-in-law, Chet and Annamae McKone; sisters-in-law Helen McKone, Regena (George) Lindeman, Myrnie (John) Corkery; brothers-in-law John Corkery and George Lindeman; niece Colleen Corkery; nephew, Paul Lindeman; niece, Patrica Lindeman.