Ethel "Ruth" Wenzler

Ruth has been reunited in her heavenly home by her late husband, Earl Jordan Wenzler; parents, Theodore Ralph Gosling, Sr.; mother, Ethel Lillian Marshall Gosling; younger brother, Herbert Gosling; nephew, Ronald “Ron Goz” Gosling; and three sisters-in-law, Nancy Wenzler, Louise Gosling, Carol Gosling; and numerous friends and extended family.

She is survived by older brother, Theodore “RALPH” Gosling, Jr. (94, Florida); daughters, Karen Wenzler, Jeffersonville; Dana Wenzler Wright (Michael) New Albany; grandchildren, Melissa Boss Smalley (Robert), Alabama; Holly Boss Hargett (Craig) Sellersburg; Noah Wright; Carter Wright; great granddaughters who knew her as “GGMA”, Brooklyn Hargett; Jordyn Hargett; Rylie Smalley; Carsyn Smalley. In addition to nieces and nephews, Richard Wenzler; Michael Wenzler; Cheri Wenzler Haskell; Deborah Gosling Klosik; Kathy Gosling Donahue; Tom Gosling; Vicki Gosling Duvall, Susan Gosling Brandt, and numerous extended family.

Ruth was born at home on Taylor Blvd in Louisville. She attended St. James United Church of Christ with her family. The 1937 flood destroyed their home, and they moved to higher ground a couple of blocks away. Ruth graduated from Ahrens Trade School in 1951. Ruth worked at the Louisville Trust Bank as a teller, a manual elevator operator at Stewart’s Dept Store (“ding…2nd floor dry goods…4th floor women’s …”), and a few other jobs. She loved to take the bus with her friends on Saturdays to 4th St to the movies. In 1955, she attended a Christmas party with a friend and a boy her friend had set her up with, and met Earl, who had just returned from the Navy. Earl pursued after the party, and they were married on November 9, 1957. After marrying, they moved to New Albany and purchased their first home on Lyon Lane, where she stayed until moving into assisted living in 2022. After her daughters were born, she would take a temporary position at JCPenney (men’s dept) when needed. After her girls were older, she worked at Mullineaux and Med-Aid Ambulance (where Earl was driving ambulances after leaving L&N). Her last position was her favorite, working at Slate Run Elementary School as a lunch lady. The kids were excited to see her out of the school environment and called her “Ms Winwhistle” because they couldn’t pronounce her name.

Ruth and Earl joined the church family at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ after marrying and moving to New Albany. They were members of the Mr and Mrs Sunday School Class, and Ruth was active in Clothes Closet and Soup Kitchen crews, annual Health Fair, Jingle Bells, and assisted with Harvest Homecoming Activities, winning a “Tigger Award” for her enthusiastic helpfulness.

Ruth was a cookie cupboard chairman for Karen's Girl Scout Brownie and Girl Scout troops, room mother, and a member of the PTA. She was also a member of philanthropic groups; the Pocahontas, a lifetime member of VFW 1693, and American Legion Auxiliary for over 60 years. She went through leadership chairs in all the groups and assisted with whatever needed to be done. She cooked for dinners, sewed blankets for veterans and babies, cut coupons for veteran families, placed flags at the national cemetery, wrote occasion cards for veterans, was a member of the poppy ceremony, and many, many other committees. She won the American Legion of Indiana Woman of the Year Award in the early 2000s.

Ruth never liked using her first name, Ethel, and had to have her name changed on the crypt to E. Ruth Wenzler. “If they leave Ethel there, people will think Earl got married again and not know it’s me”. Ruth was patriotic, kind, friendly, would help anyone when she could, and be up for anything. Her daughters would call and ask if she wanted to join them shopping or exploring. “Yes! Just let me get my shoes and lipstick on!”, was always the answer; and she met them on the porch, or sometimes at the end of the street if they took too long picking her up. She didn’t like to swim since she said she was held underwater one time when she was a child. She loved to dance (Earl did, but not so much), loved music and the house was always filled with it. Country, big band, swing, 60’s and later. If it was positive and lively it didn’t matter. Her favorites were Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Neil Diamond, Michael Buble, Rod Stewart, and many more. Many times you could find her in the aisles of the store dancing (to the extreme embarrassment of her teenage daughters). She loved Disney and went on her first and only trip in 2018, where she met Mickey and Minnie with a mouse nose and whiskers painted on her face.

Although her family will miss her greatly, we are hopeful and joyful now that she has been released from the bonds of dementia and Alzheimer's dark prison that she endured the last few years of her life. We welcome hearing stories of your interactions with Ruth and invite you to share them here, or send them to us so we may laugh and rejoice about how she has affected others, and help us heal as we remember her as she was before dementia stole her last years from us.

A Visitation will be held at Kraft Funeral Service, 2776 Charlestown Road, New Albany, Indiana on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm and on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. The American Legion Auxiliary will have a poppy service on Tuesday at 6:00 pm.

Ruth's Funeral Service will be held at Kraft Funeral Service on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 11:00 am. She will be entombed privately at Kraft-Graceland Memorial Park.

Please join us after the service on Wednesday for a reception at noon at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ, 222 E. Spring St, New Albany, IN 47150

We thank her friends who are still at Bridgepoint Gardens Assisted Living, and those who cared for her at Lincoln Hills Memory Care, and Hosparus of Southern Indiana. Donations can be sent to St. Mark’s United Church of Christ in lieu of flowers.

We will join you a little while later, Mom. Don’t worry about us. We will meet you on the porch to heaven with your lipstick on.