Ruth A. Hoech

Ruth A. (Ebeling) Hoech was born in LaPorte, Indiana, on April 29, 1938 the second of four children born to George and Gertrude (Krenzke) Ebeling. She attended Concordia Techers College, River Forest, IL (now Concordia University, Chicago). On July 25, 1959, she married her college sweetheart Marvin Hoech and they spent their first four years of married life in Yorkville, IL, where they taught at Cross Lutheran School.

They moved to Springfield, IL, in 1963 when her husband was hired to restart Our Savior’s Lutheran School and be its first principal and Ruth volunteered to be the kindergarten teacher. Like in all her previous teaching years, her twelve students and their parents loved her as an excellent teacher who also showered her students with caring love. After teaching one year at Our Savior’s, Ruth “retired” to be a stay-at-home mother for her own two year old daughter and planned children to come. In later years she worked for more than twenty years at Springfield’s Fit Club, retiring as Accounts Manager in 2000.

All her life, Ruth felt blessed (her word) to be a Christian and was very active in her church memberships from childhood on. As an adult in Yorkville & Springfield, she regularly attended worship services and Bible classes and was active in many organizations and often in leadership roles. She especially enjoyed singing in the church choirs and also participating in women organizations. Starting in Yorkville, for more than 60 years, Ruth was an active member of Lutheran Women Missionary League, both locally and beyond. One favorite LWML project was being a regular weekly worker in the quilters group for nearly 60 years at Our Savior’s.

Ruth is survived by Marvin Hoech, her husband of 64 years, daughters Angela Poore of Normal, IL and Kimbria (Evan) Zupfer of River Vale, NJ, and son Kip (Ivy) Hoech of central Asia. Also surviving are her grandchildren, Amanda (Shiva) Horiuchi, Ryan and Aaron Zupfer, Noah (Anna) Hoech, and Kayla Hoech, her two great grandchildren; Judah and Eli Horiuchi, her sister, Jane Geske of Arlington Heights, IL and two younger brothers, David (Carol) Ebeling of Bloomington, IN and Timothy (Patricia) Ebeling of Janesville, WI. She has several nieces and nephews.

Ruth has touched the lives of so many people in her years of teaching and in her variety of life-long church and community activities, and so many people have also expressed their sadness of her death, but also have expressed they share in Ruth’s own often recently expressed JOY of being with her Savior Jesus Christ now and forever in eternity.

A family graveside service was held in Oak Ridge Cemetery. A celebration of her life will be held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. The date and time will be announced.

Ruth wishes any memorials offered be directed to the Tian Shan Mission Society 1020 E. Ramon Road, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.bischfuneralhomewest.com

Arrangements are in the care of Bisch Funeral Home West. 217-544-5424