Ruth Elaine Zurbriggen Knight Kenney, 97, of West Union, Iowa formerly of Postville, Iowa passed away on Friday, September 13, 2019, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. Elaine was born February 8, 1922, at Korn Hill Farm in rural Fayette, Iowa, to Mattias and Marguerite (Wirz) Zurbriggen. Elaine grew up in rural Fayette County and Elgin, Iowa. She graduated from Elgin High School in 1939. After graduation, Elaine worked in her father’s bakeries both in Elgin, Iowa, and Sumner, Iowa. After World War II started, she worked for the Gudeman Company in Chicago, Illinois, as a riveter. The Gudeman Co. made air and oil compressors for military airplanes.
In 1942 Elaine took the train to Salinas, California where she married Roy DeMilt Knight on June 24, 1942. Roy was stationed at Camp Ord, in Salinas. Elaine was there for 6 weeks until Roy was sent to Virginia. They did not see each other again for thirty-two months. Roy served in the Third Division of the US Army and Field Artillery in Africa, France, Germany and Italy.
After Roy left California, Elaine returned to Chicago and worked there until 1943. She then joined the US Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, which later became the Women’s Army Corps. (WAC). Elaine’s enlistment was for the duration of World War II plus 6 months. Elaine attended Camp Monticello in Arkansas for Basic Training, then on to Camp Oglethorpe in Georgia for advanced training. She appeared in news reels which were shown in movie theaters across the United States. She was then transferred to the US Air Force Base, in Salinas, California, where she earned her Sergeants stripes.
In 1944, Sergeant Ruth Elaine Knight was chosen to be the US Women’s Army Corps National poster girl, where she did a lot of recruitment to urge women to join the war effort. She was on posters in every post office and recruiting office across the United States. There were life-size cut outs of Sergeant Ruth E. Knight placed in military hospitals, post offices, etc. Sergeant Ruth E. Knight was stationed at the Salinas Air Force Base until 1945. Roy Knight was discharged from the US Army in October 1945 because the war was over. They lived in San Jose, California, until Elaine was discharged from the military at Sacramento, California. They moved back to Elgin, Iowa, where Roy was assistant manager at the Elgin Cooperative for about two years. Roy then accepted the manager’s position at the Postville Cooperative in Postville, Iowa, which he held until 1976.
Roy and Elaine had four children: Renee, Janice, Jack and Noel. They were married thirty-four years until Roy’s death in 1976. On June 1, 1980, Elaine married James Robert “Bob” Kenney at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They lived on a farm near Hazleton until Bob’s death in 1991. Elaine became step-mother to James Kenney and Connie Kenney Hill. In 1992 Elaine moved back to Postville and then later to Elgin.
Elaine enjoyed working in the library, serving on the Postville Library Board, and being active in the Postville Presbyterian Church, where she served as a Deacon. She was active in the American Legion, the VFW, and Women’s Auxiliary. She enjoyed traveling to four continents, gardening, quilting, embroidering, playing Scrabble and cards, doing crossword puzzles, reading and volunteering in her community.
She is survived by her children, Janice Tirzmalis, Jack Knight, Noel (Debra) Knight, James (Chelly) Kenney, Connie (Don) Hill; nine grandchildren, Aaron (Robin) Coffeen, Jessica Coonen, Lavender (Tanya) Knight Mudrick, Violet (Jaime) Flores, Luica Alexandria Knight, Beth Kenney; Rachel Kenney, Nick (Andrea) Hill, Alyssa (Luke) McCollum; and seven great grandchildren, Derek, lziah, Cruz, Bridger, Lily, Cedar, Bode.
She is preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; brothers, Paul and Gordon Zurbriggen; sister, Eda Zurbriggen Weibel, daughter, Renee Knight. On September 15, 2019, son-law, Al Tirzmalis, passed away.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Stoney Brook Village, West Union Good Samaritan and Gundersen Lutheran Hospice for their compassionate care.
Memorials may be given to the Postville Public Library, Postville, Iowa.
Funeral Services will be at 1:30 pm on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Community Presbyterian Church, Postville, Iowa with a visitation one hour before services at the church on Saturday. The officiant will be Pastor Ryan Zurbriggen.
Inurnment with Military Rites will be at Postville Cemetery, Postville, Iowa
Schutte-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Postville, Iowa is helping the family with the arrangements.