RUTH C. HANS February 10, 1929 - November 26, 2020. Longtime resident of Berea, passed away peacefully at her home into her eternal rest on Thursday, November 26 at the age of 91. Ruth grew up on the west side of Cleveland, the youngest child of the Wilhelm Celke family, which operated an iconic tavern on Vega Avenue (long since an entrance ramp to the I-90), a favorite meeting place and destination for many celebrations in the largely German enclave of the city from the 20s until the mid-60s. The tavern, subsequently moved to Clark Avenue and West 25th Street, included a dance hall and bowling alley, just behind Ruth's bedroom – leading her to a life-long ability to sleep through any amount of noise.

Ruth's parents immigrated to the U.S. from Germany with little formal education; her mother, the matriarch of the Celke family, only attended school through first grade. The Celke's sincerest wish was for their children to obtain a college education, and Ruth, along with four older siblings, fulfilled that desire, as all five earned college degrees.  Ruth earned her B.S. degree in occupational therapy from the University of Iowa in 1951.

Ruth lived a full life -- in fact, she lived several.  After college graduation, she worked as an occupational therapist before marrying Guenther Manfred Hans, a veteran of WW2 who served in the Pacific Theater and a graduate of the dental school at Case Western Reserve, in 1951. She and her husband had three children: Mark, Cindy, and Suzi.  Ruth was both a devoted mother and an independent, energetic woman with multiple talents and interests.

She loved sports, following the Berea High School football team, as well as the Cleveland Browns, where she and her family have been season ticket holders since the 1950s, and she loved LeBron.  In addition to devoting herself to her family and supporting her children and then her grandchildren in their various endeavors, Ruth went on to work for her son at his orthodontics' office in Berea, Ohio, where she worked until this past March. Mark's patients and the staff loved Ruth – she knew all the children's names and remembered all sorts of details about their lives, and she was notorious for keeping the office well-stocked with fresh baked goods.

Ruth, or "Dobs" as she was known to her ten grandchildren, was a lifelong learner, an astute and passionate political observer, and a devoted follower of The New York Times.  She loved her family; the arts (especially musical theater and ballet); and her church, St. Paul Lutheran, where she served as a member of the Altar Guild for many years.  Everyone who knew Ruth was touched by her generosity, kindness, and positive spirit. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Ruth's honor to: RUTH C. HANS MEMORIAL FUND ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH 276 E. Bagley Rd Berea, OH 44017.