Ruth H Laux, nee Panzel, of Oak Park, Illinois, passed quietly from this Earth on September 7 at the age of 89 after a long illness.
Ruth was born in St. Goar am Rhein, Germany on December 22, 1930, where her father, Walter Panzel, piloted boats along the river. She spent her early years in St. Goar, surviving great personal loss and hardship during World War II. After graduating from secondary school, she spent two years studying in Birmingham, England, where she became proficient in English and obtained work as a secretary at the American Embassy in Bonn, Germany. It was there that she met and married Dean Laux, with whom she came to the United States in 1957.
Ruth worked for Oak Park School District 97 for many years, first as a teaching assistant at Longfellow School and then as head of the Media Services Department at the administrative office. Ruth had a special affection for children and loved taking care of her home and family. She enjoyed growing and arranging flowers and had a great appreciation for opera, literature, and art. In the summer, she was a regular at the swimming pool, where she spent many happy hours in the sun with her beloved children and grandchildren. Always impeccably dressed, Ruth was much admired for her stylishness and good taste.
Ruth, also known as Oma, is survived by her former husband and by three children: Dennis (Janice) Laux of Reisterstown, MD; Dianne Laux of Oak Park; and Debra (Vitaliy) Muraiti of River Forest, IL; by grandchildren Emily (Ian) Marcheschi; Alyson (Will) Sandwick; Victoria, Alexandra, and Elizabeth Muraiti; and by one great-grandson, Ezra Marcheschi. Ruth was deeply loved by her family. In their hearts, she will always be “die Allerliebste.”
Ruth was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest where a private memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Ruth’s memory to the Chicago Botanic Garden (chicagobotanic.org) or to the Morton Arboretum (mortonarb.org).
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