Ruby Behlen

Ruby Behlen

COLUMBUS - Ruby Behlen, 94, of Columbus, died Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at the Columbus Community Hospital.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Federated Church with the Rev. Jim Wooten officiating. There will be a private family interment in the Columbus Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday from 3:30-7 p.m. at the Gass Haney Funeral Home and continues Saturday from 10-11 a.m. at the church.

Mrs. Behlen was born 18 Aug. 1913, Woodville Township, Platte County, the ninth and last child of James and Mary Ann Moody Cumming. She attended Mount Pleasant (District 47) School and graduated from St. Edward High School in 1930.

After high school she stayed home to help on the farm until she attended Vanity School of Cosmetology in Fremont. She worked in beauty shops in Fremont and David City before returning to the farm to help her parents. She kept her cosmetology license current for more than 50 years just in case she might need to support herself. While in Fremont she met Walt Behlen who was visiting the family of her good friend. They were married several years later on April 13, 1940.

She was the behind-the-scenes partner in their marriage, managing all aspects of their home life as well as assisting her husband in his business and community endeavors. Together they traveled the world, often sharing the travels with their children and in earlier years with the children's friends.

She was involved in numerous volunteer activities including the Area Girl Scout Council, Federated Church Social Board, and Red Cross Blood Bank. She was a member of Chapter FJ, P. E. O. She was given a Pi Beta Phi Mother's Pin by the sorority's University of Nebraska chapter for the extraordinary feat of hosting the entire sorority membership (two Greyhound bus loads) for two separate overnight retreats at the Behlen home in Columbus. In 2001 she was awarded the Columbus Public Schools School Bell Award.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ann and Roman Hruska of Walnut Creek, Calif.; a son and daughter-in-law, Kent and Donna Behlen of Lincoln; grandchildren, Roman and Wendy Hruska of Reno, Nev., Libby Hruska and Frank Fletcher of Brooklyn, N.Y.; great-grandchildren, Roman Hruska IV, Kent Hruska and Sebastian Fletcher.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, Gilbert, Robert, Earl, Orville, Leonard and Roy; and sisters, Ethel Gustafson and Alta Toms.

Memorials may be directed to the St. Edward Library or the Columbus Library Foundation.

Condolences may be sent to http://www.gasshaney.com">www.gasshaney.com