Ruthanne Hettinger

Ruthanne Hettinger, 81, of Sandwich, died December 4, 2021 at Seasons Hospice in Naperville.

Ruthanne was born in Aurora, IL on August 9, 1940 to Frank and Katherine Kingsley. She became the “woman of the house” when her mother died in 1949. Through resilience and with the help of many aunts and other female role models, she grew into adulthood and graduated from East Aurora High School.

Ruthanne married Peter Hettinger on October 5, 1963, and enjoyed 58 years of marriage. She always thanked Peter for the great love and life they built, spending all their years together traveling, cooking, and raising five children. Though busy at home, Ruthanne made time to volunteer at St. Joseph’s Church in Aurora, where she was a member for nearly 40 years. She was very proud of the preschool program that she started at St. Joseph’s School, working as the school’s preschool teacher for 10 years before retiring to care for her grandchildren.

Faith was very important to Ruthanne, and she often looked to the Blessed Virgin Mary for strength and inspiration. It was through her deep connection with Mary that she resolved to be a loving mother to her children. Whether making meals from scratch, soothing wounds and illnesses, stitching clothes to make them last a little longer, or running the day-to-day of a household of seven, Ruthanne devotedly modeled a lifetime of service to others.

Learning to knit from a German neighbor when she was living in her childhood home, it was a skill she continued for nearly seven decades, working the needles in her hands to craft countless scarves, stocking caps, and afghans. Her specialty was knitted dish rags, churning out over 1,000 perfect, durable 6x6 squares. She never accepted payment for her labors, and often donated much of her handiwork to family, friends, and charitable causes. Ruthanne always delighted in the results of her skill bringing happiness to others.

A master seamstress, Ruthanne often made a lot of the clothes her children wore growing up. Working from patterns, she cranked out dresses, shirts, shorts, and sweatpants. She could repair almost any tear and alter any garment. As her children left the house, Ruthanne continued to sew as a hobby, becoming an award-winning quilter. Working with a patchwork of remnants and various colors and sizes suited Ruthanne well, and was representative of her life spent stitching together something beautiful no matter the circumstances.

She relished playing cards, sitting and visiting with other players, but always with an eye on winning. The laughs were plentiful through all types of games. She was an avid baseball fan, particularly for the Cubs, and was ecstatic to experience the 2016 championship season. Through family camping trips, tropical cruises, and winters in Florida, Ruthanne cherished meeting new people, and made friends everywhere she went. She greatly enjoyed hosting gatherings for family and friends, and was excited for any occasion to bring together her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She literally brought sweetness into a lot of lives, sharing homemade pies, cakes, and cookies, and she was always delighted to indulge in any version of chocolate.

Though she was a happy person, Ruthanne did experience great loss in her life, losing two daughters and a grandson, as well as being the last survivor of her family. She was comforted by her family and faith, content to know she would live in glory with those who went before her.

Ruthanne’s family gratefully acknowledges the care she received at Rush Copley Hospital in Aurora, and the kind, considerate staff at Seasons Hospice in Naperville.

Ruthanne is survived by her beloved husband, Peter; son-in-law Jim Schultz of Chicago, IL; son Ron (Rebecca) Hettinger of Madison, WI; daughter Anne (Mike) Deutsch of Yorkville, IL; daughter Judy (Chris) Quick of Belvidere, IL; and son Joe (Dana) Hettinger of Hawthorn Woods, IL. She is also survived by her grandchildren Peter, Ryan, Patrick, Michael, Christine, Madelyn, Hailey, Molly, Anne, Alexander, Kaylee, Tyler, Lauren, and Allison; five step-grandchildren; great-grandsons Nolan and Luca; and her sisters-in-law Pat Kingsley and MaryBeth Kingsley, as well as numerous in-laws, cousins, nephews, nieces, and godchildren.

She is preceded in death by her infant daughter Marge; her adult daughter Tina Schultz; and her grandson Bradley Hettinger. Additional predecedents are her parents, Frank and Katherine Kingsley, and her two brothers, Frank Kingsley and Bob Kingsley.

Visitation will be held at Dieterle Funeral Home in Montgomery, IL, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, December 16. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Church in Aurora, IL at 11:00 am on Friday, December 17. Internment will be at Annunciation Cemetery in Aurora, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Ruthanne’s honor to the Aurora Catholic Education Foundation (ACEF), the American Cancer Society, Aurora Central Catholic High School, or a charity of the donor’s choice.