Ruth (Meinhart) Deibel (93) of Effingham

Ruth (Meinhart) Deibel, 93, of Effingham, passed away on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Effingham, IL. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Effingham. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday prior to the service at the church. Services are in the care of Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham.

Ruth was born at home on April 20, 1928, in Island Grove, Jasper County, the daughter of Paul and Elizabeth (Bierman) Meinhart. She graduated from Newton High School in 1946 and continued her education at Beauty School in Paris, Illinois. She married Edward J. Deibel in August of 1953. She opened a salon in Effingham called La Ruth’s Beauty Salon and operated it for 40 years. She also had the Merle Norman cosmetic studio within her shop. Meanwhile, she assisted Edward with establishing and running the businesses of Sanitation Service and Landfill 33. Until 5 years ago, she was an instrumental decision-maker in these businesses. Ruth was always ready for a road trip, especially if it involved shopping. She loved to travel and went on many group trips in the United States and out of the country. Ruth was talented in many areas. She was a wonderful cook and loved working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She took great joy in her 6 grandchildren by helping with them, imparting her sage advice, and attending their many activities. In her later years, she took great joy in zipping around uptown on her red scooter and checking out her flower and vegetable gardens in her yard. Ruth was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Church and loved attending mass. Ruth was a member of the CCW at Sacred Heart Church as well as the East Central Cosmetologists of Illinois. Ruth was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She will be dearly missed by all those whose lives were touched by her.

Ruth is survived by her daughters, Paula (Charles) Tegeler and Julia (Brian) Hayes both of Effingham; daughter-in-law, Sonja Deibel of Effingham; 6 grandchildren, Eric Deibel (fiancée Makenzie Mauriello), Sara Deibel, Katie Tegeler, Drew Tegeler, Austin Hayes, and Carter Hayes; brother, Louis Meinhart; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward in 1989; son, Richard in 2018; sisters, Rozella Einhorn Laley and Mildred “Tibby” Buehnerkemper; brother, Earl Meinhart; sisters-in-law, Betty Deibel and Ruth Meinhart; and brothers-in-law, Louis Einhorn, Carl Laley, Clair “Tipper” Buehnerkemper, John Deibel, and Gerald Deibel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Sacred Heart School or Sacred Heart Church. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.