Petersburgh/Berlin – One day after her 91st birthday, her beloved husband Lewie came and took her home. Ruth Elizabeth (Yerke) Wager passed away peacefully on October 20, 2008, in Orange City, FL.
Ruth was born on October 19, 1917, in Petersburgh, NY, to David and Hattie (Rawlins) Yerke. She attended Petersburgh schools, but her family moved before she received her diploma. Ruth was always telling her granddaughters stories about growing up during the Great Depression. At times it seemed to the girls that Grandma had the best adventures. On May 15, 1938, Ruth married the love of her life, Lewis Wager, in Petersburgh. The two lived in Petersburgh and Berlin, NY, for the next 42 years until they retired to Florida in 1980. Ruth worked for the WJ Cowee Company in Berlin, working in the winding room. Ruth and Lewis were founding members of the Berlin Rescue Squad. She proudly devoted 20 years to the rescue squad and to serving the community. Ruth was also an incredible cook. Almost any time of day you could walk into her house and find her baking or cooking. Ruth was a devoted wife and mother and a doting grandmother.
She was pre-deceased by her siblings, Ernest Yerke and Vivian Henze and an infant sister, Audna Yerke. Ruth was also pre-deceased by her husband, Lewis Wager, on February 29, 2000. She is survived by two daughters, Arlene Wager of DeBary, FL, and Kathy and her husband Mark Primeau of Berlin, her two granddaughters, Amy Primeau of Middletown, OH, and Laura and her husband Andrew Davey of Wynantskill, NY. She is also survived by the newest girl in the family, her beautiful great-granddaughter, Sydney Davey, whom Ruth met just last month. Ruth is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Vera Yerke of Petersburgh and Tennessee, Emily (Wager) Feinberg of Clifton Park, NY, and Alberta (Wager) Kerns of North Carolina, as well as several nieces and nephews.
At the family’s request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, or for those who would like to honor Ruth’s memory, please make donations to the Berlin Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 109, Berlin, NY, 12022. Please indicate that the contribution is in memory of Ruth Wager.