Ruth Ziffren "Rivie" Learner

1919 - 2021

Ruth "Rivie" Ziffren Learner

December 21, 1919-August 9, 2021

Ruth "Rivie" Ziffren Learner, 101, long-time Rock Island resident, died peacefully on August 9, 2021 at her home in Scottsdale, AZ.

Ruth Learner lived in Rock Island for 86 years. She was an active friend to many, baking for people who were ill, visiting friends in hospitals and nursing homes, making doctors appointments when friends couldn't get them, providing transportation to doctors visits and other errands for those who needed her.

In addition to her family, which was the center of her life, her two other great joys were shopping and baking. Her baking was legendary…of course the sour cream coffee cake – it was a get well present, a house warming present, a welcome present, or just because. She also made outstanding cinnamon rolls and hamantaschen, a project she very much enjoyed. As for the shopping, she would more often than not come home without anything from her shopping sprees, but she had fun just the same.

Ruth Ziffren was born on December 21, 1919 in Rock Island, IL to Rose Frankel Ziffren and David J. Ziffren. Rose married David J. Ziffren in 1904 at the new Beth Israel Congregation. Theirs was the first wedding performed at that synagogue, and quite an event, with 300 guests at the reception at the Blackhawk Hotel in Davenport.

For both of her parents, it was a difficult path to the Quad Cities. Rose was the daughter of Simon and Anna Frankel who brought their family to Rock Island through Ellis Island from Slabode, Belarus in 1897. Anna was widowed soon after their arrival and supported her family by operating a Jewish boarding house at 2317 4th Avenue. David Ziffren, at the age of 13, journeyed to Rock Island alone from Belrodke, Russia in 1889. He drove a horse and wagon as a peddler. In 1901, he founded Ziffren Loans in Davenport.

Ruth attended schools in Rock Island, graduating from Rock Island High School in 1937. She attended the University of Illinois and graduated from Augustana College in 1942 with a BA in Economics.

Following her graduation, she was employed at Ziffren Loans in Davenport, a job she always talked about with great happiness. She loved working in the store and being with her brother, Chaimel, who operated it until his death.

She married David Learner July 18, 1948 in Rock Island. They had three children, Alisa, Gail and Nathan.

She was involved in many community activities. During World War II, she was a volunteer with the USO and Red Cross. She was an active member of the Tri City Jewish Center. She belonged to the B'nai Brith, Hadassah and Sisterhood, where she held many jobs including Editor of the newsletter of the Tri City Jewish Center and selling stationery, proceeds of which benefited the Center. She was on the board of the Rock Island Visiting Nurses Association, Franciscan Hospital Auxiliary Board, a Cub Scout leader and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

Rivie and her husband, David, moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 2005, to be near family. Once in Arizona, she became active in the community, delivering cookies to the patients in the nursing facility and knitting caps for newborns.

She had three older brothers, Lester, Chaimel and Sidney Ziffren who preceded her in death. David, her husband of nearly 63 years, died in 2011.

She is survived by her daughter Lisa and her husband, Wally Maher, whom she thought of as another son, daughter Gail, son Nathan and grandson, Henry as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Sidney E. Ziffren, M.D. Professorship in Surgery at the University of Iowa would be most appreciated. https://givetoiowa.org/ziffren