Ruth Ann Sheffler

Ruth Ann Sheffler, a woman of sharp wit, green thumbs, and a heart large enough to house a small army, passed away at her home, surrounded by her family, on April 17th, 2026, leaving behind a legacy as vibrant as her rose bushes. Born on November 3, 1951, in Charleston, West Virginia, Ruth eventually made her home in Tell City, Indiana, where she cultivated a life full of color, stories, and a lot of Chicago Bears football.

Ruth was a woman of many passions. If she wasn’t tending to her beloved plants or coaxing her rose bushes into bloom, she was likely lost in the pages of a good book or navigating the stars with the crew of the Enterprise. An avid "Trekkie" and a master of the crochet hook, she spent her life creating—whether it was intricate crafts for her family or a welcoming home for her many animals.

She was reunited in her Heavenly home by her husband, Earl; her grandmother, Pearl, who raised her; her step father, Roy; her mother, Janet; her brother, Billy; and her sister, Ginger. We find comfort knowing she is also hugging her children, Cynthia and Robert, and her grandsons, Georgie and Joshua, once again. In a final act of devotion, she was preceded in death by her "fur baby" of 18 years, who waited just long enough to lead the way for her.

Ruth’s spirit lives on in those she leaves behind: her daughters, Lena Rutherford and Pearl Sheffler; her son in laws, William Rutherford and Ace Wegner; her son, Keith Sheffler; her sister, Donna; and her grandchildren, Brittany, Beka (Lucy), Tarah (Dylan), and David (Summer). She was a proud great-grandmother to Kris, Koda, Ariana, Aaydon, Zach, Colten, Faythlynn, Jay, Bethy, Leslie, Alix, Josiah, and Elijah. Beyond her biological kin, Ruth was a mother to many who found their way to her door; if you were loved by Ruth, you were family, plain and simple.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In the meantime, the family asks that you think of Ruth the next time you see a rose in bloom, catch an episode of Star Trek, or see the Bears score a touchdown.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Rivers Edge Animal Shelter in Cannelton Indiana.

She has finally "boldly gone" where we cannot yet follow, but her light remains behind in every stitch she crocheted and every life she touched.