Ruth Esther Slater, age 85, of Washington, IA, formerly of Crawfordsville, passed away Sunday, January 3, 2016 at the University of Iowa Hospital following a sudden illness.

Celebration of life services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 8, 2016 at the United Church of Crawfordsville with Pastor Jason Collier officiating. Calling hours will begin noon Thursday, January 7, 2016 at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington, where family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening. Interment will be held at Crawfordsville Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the United Church of Crawfordsville and for the Halcyon House Good Samaritan Fund. Online condolences may be sent for Ruth's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com

Ruth was born April 14, 1930 near Donnellson, Iowa, the daughter of Ernest A. and Clara B. (Lowenberg) Krehbiel. She graduated from Donnellson High School in 1947. Ruth was united in marriage to Dean Slater on June 29, 1952 in Donnellson, Iowa.

Ruth resided in Key West, Florida and Donnellson, Iowa until moving to Crawfordsville in 1967. She worked for Schaeffer Pen Company in Ft. Madison, Iowa for 5 years prior to her marriage. She and her husband owned and operated Slater Hardware in Crawfordsville from 1967 until 1971. Ruth also worked for Metro Mail, Heatilator and at the Mental Health Facility in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

She was a member of the United Church of Crawfordsville and the Crawfordsville American Legion Auxillary. Ruth enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling, journaling, keeping house and working in the yard with her flowers.

She is survived by her husband, Dean Slater of Washington, IA; daughter, Sharon Fontaine and husband Rob of Hopkinton, MA; daughter, Vicki Simester and husband Terry of Muscatine, IA; daughter, Rhonda Caton and husband Anthony of Mulberry, AR; 3 grandsons; 1 granddaughter; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Kay Slater in 1989; and 3 brothers, Wayne, Roger and Howard Krehbiel