Ruth Ann Purvis (Hermeyer) (Gruver)

Ruth Ann Purvis (Hermeyer) (Gruver), of State Center, Iowa passed away on Saturday June 29, 2024, at Grandview Heights Rehab and Healthcare of Marshalltown.

As per Ruth’s wishes and her family, cremation rites will be accorded. A family-led memorial service is scheduled for Saturday July 20, 2024, at the United Methodist Church in Cambridge, IA at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow. Memorials may be directed to the family for a later designation. For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home of Marshalltown, Iowa is caring for Ruth and her family.

Ruth Ann (Hermeyer) Purvis was born on June 27, 1941, in St. Louis, MO. She was the daughter of Bernard J. Hermeyer and Mildred Julia Henrietta (Hoffmeister) Hermeyer. Numerous friends and family members lovingly knew her as “Ruthie”. Ruth attended school in the Hazelwood school district and graduated from Central High School with the class of 1959. She married her first husband, Robert Gruver, on November 30th, 1963, in St. Louis, MO. and they had two lovely daughters. After his passing, Ruth went on and married her present husband, Larry D. Purvis on April 23, 1994, in Cambridge, IA. They lived in Cambridge for all of their marriage and only moved to State Center, Iowa in 2021. “Ruthie” worked as an administrator for various school districts, such as Iowa State, Polk County, Cedar Rapids and Hazelwood. She was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church in State Center, IA., and the United Methodist Church in Cambridge, IA. In her free time, she enjoyed quilting, singing in the church choir, playing the piano and volunteering at the Cambridge Public Library. Family was very important to her and spending time with them meant the world to Ruth.

She is survived by her husband Larry D. Purvis, her daughters; Justine (Brian) Henry of Cedar Rapids, IA., and Amy (Steve) Wakeham of Cedar Rapids, IA., her stepdaughters; Brenda (Joe) Buchwald of Minnesota, and Stacey (Todd) Buchwald of Minnesota, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren with a third one on the way, and her siblings; June Alber of St. Louis, MO., Charles Hermeyer of St. Louis, MO., and Kenneth Hermeyer also of St. Louis, MO.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Mildred, her first husband Robert Gruver and her sister Elaine Pusateri.