Ruth Harms, 94, of Monticello, died Monday, April 20, 2026, at Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The family will celebrate her life with visitation from 5 to 7 pm Friday, April 24, 2026, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello. A private burial will be held in Wayne Zion Cemetery on a later date.  Please use the Guestbook to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences.

Ruth Raylene Kromminga was born in Castle Grove township on November 17, 1931, the daughter of Raymond and Elsa (Behrends) Kromminga. She attended school in Monticello and graduated from Monticello High School in the Class of 1949. During her senior year, she started working as a teller at Monticello State Bank, a career she would continue for over 45 years at the bank and its successors. She married Willis Harms on October 14, 1951, at SS. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in Castle Grove. The couple farmed together, and she made sure everything ran smoothly.

Ruth was a member of the Jones County Cowbells, which would later become known as the Jones County Cattlewomen's and Cattlemen's Association. She volunteered her time at the Monticello Schools with the Music Boosters. Ruth spearheaded and helped with many Monticello School expansion campaigns and was active in the Alumni Association. She could be seen at every Jones County Fair and always supported its youth development programs. During election years, she often volunteered as a poll worker. She was honored by the Monticello School Foundation for years of dedicated involvement in the Monticello School System.

A member of Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, Ruth is remembered as a sincere honest soul and woman of deep abiding faith. Her desire to help others has led her to donate her brain to the Neurology Department at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Ruth's world revolved around her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Ruth is survived by her children Jennifer (Pat) Lambert, John (Kathy) Harms and Brenda (Mick) Crumpton, grandchildren Janda (Nathan) Ciha, John Lambert, Jeff (Shelby) Lambert, Katie Harms, Ben (Roz) Harms, Tony Harms, John (Bri) Harms, Hannah (Matt) Knutson, Noah Crumpton, 12 great grandchildren, her siblings Nedra Hanken, Marla (Nick) Paulsen, a sister-in-law Sharon Kromminga, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Willis, her parents, her stepmother Esther, a brother and sister who died in infancy, and her siblings Verona (Royal) Landis and Art Kromminga, a brother-in-law Wes Hanken, and her special friend Jerry Muller.