Ruth Dersch

Dersch, Ruth Ruth Bomberger Dersch died November 15 in Grand Rapids, MI after a long illness. She was 91. Ruth was born in 1923 on the Pennsylvania Dutch family farm in Lebanon County, PA. Her birth date was either September 23 or 24, depending on whether you believed her birth certificate or her mother. She grew up hunting eggs, milking cows and driving tractors on land her ancestors had worked since 1740. Ruth began her education at a one-room school "down the lane" from the farm, graduated from Lebanon High School in 1941, and attended the Reading Hospital School of Nursing. She became a registered nurse and served her country during WWII as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. While stationed in California she met her future husband, 1st Lieutenant John A. "Jack" Dersch. When they wed at McClellan Field on June 22, 1946, Ruth wore a wedding gown made from parachute silk. In 1948, they settled in Saginaw, MI, where Ruth worked as an R.N. at Saint Luke's Hospital until the birth of their children. Jack's work took them to York, PA in 1957, back to Saginaw in 1962, and finally to the Grand Rapids area in 1973. In 1975, Ruth went back to school to update her nursing skills, became 2nd shift Head Floor Nurse at Ferguson-Droste-Ferguson, and retired in 1992. After Jack's stroke in 1994, she cared for him at home for four and a half years. Ruth was an avid gardener, a superb cook and a gracious host. She loved classical music, especially opera. In the 1930s, Saturdays on the farm were baking days, and Ruth's mother always had the radio tuned to the afternoon broadcasts of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Ruth continued to listen to the Met for more than 80 years. She loved fishing, entertaining and relaxing at the Dersch family cottage on Lake Mitchell for 62 consecutive summers. Ruth also had a penchant for sporty cars. Her 2002 Mustang GT, purchased when she was 78, was a favorite, but she was especially fond of her 1979 Triumph Spitfire, once making the 95-mile trip from downtown GR to the cottage in an hour (and no speeding tickets). Ruth was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, Jack Dersch; her parents, Howard B. and Venona Z. Bomberger; and her brothers, Harold, Russell, Howard and Cyrus Bomberger. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy (Bomberger) Gottshall; sister-in-law, Betty (Harold) Bomberger; daughter, Cheryl and son-in-law, Gary Perrine; son, John A. Dersch Jr. and daughter-in-law, Mary Dersch; grandsons, Joshua (Kris) and Jacob Dersch, great-grandson, James Thomas Dersch; numerous nieces and nephews; and her beloved dog, Patti. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held for Ruth at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Opera Grand Rapids (www.operagr.org/support-us/donate) or Meijer Gardens. We extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Beacon Hill Memory Unit for their loving care. Ruth's love, grace, strength of character, extraordinary work ethic and sense of duty will never be forgotten. Du bist wunderbar! Arrangements by: