Ruth Ann Bennett, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Topeka, Kan., her home for the past several years. She was 84.
Born Jan. 3, 1942 (the first baby of the year in Burlington), Ruth Ann and her sister, Barbara, were raised in Burlington by their grandmother, Charlotte (née Schmitz) Bertlshofer Newquist. Ruth Ann married Gary Nelson Bennett on Feb. 3, 1962, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Burlington. Gary died on Jan. 26, 2002, eight days shy of their 40thwedding anniversary.
Gary and Ruth Ann had two daughters, Dena (Edward Jr.) Sattler of Topeka, and Christina Bennett of Washington, D.C.; two granddaughters, Elizabeth (Mitchell) Khader and Emma Lynch, both of Washington; and a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Khader of Washington.
Ruth Ann fiercely loved her family and always put their needs first. Most important to her were her roles as mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her girls, whose achievements made her so very proud. Known for her extraordinary beauty inside and out, Ruth Ann touched countless lives through her work and volunteerism. Her life was a master class in making people feel beautiful, happy, and loved.
She was a 1959 graduate of Burlington High School, a cheerleader and High Stepper for the Grayhounds, and in 1961 was crowned Miss Burlington due to her exceptional talent (dancing), charm, and beauty. Before her marriage, Ruth Ann worked in Burlington at the Harrison House and other restaurants, Schramm’s department store, and Burlington Lithograph/Delta Press. She also taught dance at the Hazel-Mack Studio.
Ruth Ann later achieved local, state, and national recognition as the longtime Clinique counter manager at Younkers in Westland Mall. Memories of the “Clinique lady” known for her professional, caring, and heartfelt attention to their makeup and skin care needs carry on to this day as customers recall how she made them feel happy and confident. She was a trusted and respected consultant for weddings, proms, and many other special occasions.
Ruth Ann was honored in New York as one of Clinique’s first national Clinique Stars, an honor given to a select few Clinique consultants for overall excellence. Along with seeking her help at the Clinique counter, many of Ruth Ann’s customers also sought her advice on their wardrobe. She always helped them find just the right style, another reason she was honored as a Hall of Fame Associate at Younkers.
Ruth Ann was a faithful guiding light for her family and many others. A devout Catholic, she proudly served as a Eucharist minister in her hometown and especially enjoyed visiting local senior care facilities to share the Eucharist and pray the Rosary. She attended St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Burlington for many years and later St. Matthew Catholic Church in Topeka.
A true Renaissance woman, Ruth Ann had a wide variety of talents and interests. She was a club champion at Burlington Golf Club (1976 and 1978) and won numerous other golf titles. She was Burlington’s Bowler of the Year in 1972. She and Gary were always competitive in team bowling and couples golf, along with winning father-daughter and mother-daughter golf tournaments with Dena and Christina.
A gifted artist with a flair for creativity, Ruth Ann was an excellent seamstress who made clothes, quilts, and other keepsakes over the years for her family and fundraisers. She was instrumental in the success of the Mercy Hospital gift shop and its charitable events.
Always focused on her daughters’ activities, Ruth Ann helped coach their youth softball teams and was a Brownie-Girl Scout leader. She loved nature and visited zoos throughout the nation with her girls. Her love of the outdoors included fishing, and she caught trophy fish in the Atlantic Ocean, Mississippi River, and lakes in Kansas.
Ruth Ann and family also enjoyed numerous musicals and travels throughout the country and beyond. Ruth Ann passed on her green thumb to her girls, who now have flowers or plants she nurtured, as well as her fantastic recipes for homemade spaghetti and birthday cake.
Ruth Ann studied and enthusiastically discussed issues of the day with an emphasis on charity, decency, and truth. She was a passionate and knowledgeable sports fan, starting with her girls’ participation in youth, high school, and college athletics. A diehard supporter of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, and Kansas City Chiefs, Ruth Ann rarely missed watching high-profile sports events.
She owned multiple fantasy football teams each year and won prizes in her first leagues. She also enjoyed visiting casinos, playing mahjong and Words with Friends, and was a true classic movie connoisseur.
Her pet dogs over the years — especially her much-loved standard poodle, Wrigley — held a special place in her heart.
Ruth Ann was exceptionally tough and wanted family and friends to know she always tried to get stronger. After surviving lung cancer more than three decades ago, she handled ongoing health issues with courage as she literally built her life around spending quality time with her girls, whether in person or on FaceTime. Ruth Ann summed this up when she was featured in a January 2018 “52 Faces” article in The Hawk Eye: “The realization you might not be around that much longer gives you a real sense of urgency with your loved ones. You want to be around them all the time, and you can’t stand any separation.”
Dena, Christina, Elizabeth, and Emma were at Ruth Ann’s side as she left this world to begin her eternal life with God. Per Ruth Ann’s wishes, her cremated remains will be laid to rest with her husband in a private graveside committal service at Aspen Grove Cemetery. Deacon Gary Johnson will preside over the Rite of Committal.
The family will meet with friends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Burlington Golf Club. Afterward, a tree will be planted in Ruth Ann’s memory on hole No. 18 at BGC, where she finished so many rounds of golf, and near the family home, where she watched her young daughters play golf and enjoy sledding when winter arrived. A tree honoring Gary stands on the same hole at BGC.
Memorials are established for the Divine Mercy Parish Improvements and the Divine Mercy Parish Ministry of Care and may be sent to the Divine Mercy Parish office at 502 W. Mount Pleasant St., West Burlington, Iowa, 52655.