Ruth Jane Bruns, 83

Ruth Jane Kenneweg Bruns

October 26, 1936 – July 31, 2020

A Woman of Great Faith

Ruth Jane Kenneweg Bruns died peacefully in her sleep on July 31 at home in Belle Mead with her loving husband of 61 years by her side.

Born on October 26, 1936 and raised in Brooklyn, Ruth attended Collegiate Institute in Manhattan following high school graduation, earning an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, and then went straight to work for a private firm on Wall Street.

Ruth was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church throughout the years, always joining a local church wherever she lived. During her youth she was a member of Good Shepherd in Brooklyn where she was baptized, confirmed and later married. It was in her mid-teens that her husband to-be joined the church. That’s when it all started.

They were part of an active youth group. They shared the additional interests of playing city-wide basketball and singing in the church choir. The romance grew through the years and they were married when Bob graduated from Lehigh University.

Bob was then commissioned in the US Air Force and the newlyweds headed off to their first assignment in Omaha, NE. Ruth enjoyed a good life in Omaha, joining one of the city’s top law firms and working with a great staff of attorneys on some of the city’s largest cases.

She was treated well by Bob’s Air Force colleagues. The officers and their wives treated Ruth and Bob as their kids, always kind and accommodating, making the young married couple feel comfortable and welcomed. Ruth became friends with many great people in Omaha, many of whom remained great friends through the years.

Following Bob’s resignation from the Air Force, he joined IBM in Bethesda, MD, where they spent the next three years and celebrated the birth of their daughter, Kristin. Bob was then transferred ‘home’ to work at IBM’s Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. There, Ruth established her roots for 29 years and during that time their son, Kirk Lars was born. Both children grew up there until they went off to college.

Later, Bob took advantage of an early retirement from IBM and joined Continental Insurance Co., in the Princeton area where they have resided for the past 26 years.

Ruth’s faith was extremely important to her. Her baptismal certificate was prevalently displayed as many people display their college diplomas. She had always been active in her church, especially while her children were growing up.

Ruth was an extraordinary gardener, crafter, and baker. She applied these skills to benefit her church in addition to her home. Her home gardens were the envy of the neighborhood. She was also known for her parties with homemade everything and neighbors and church friends always looked forward to her annual super bowl party.

In the winter months, gardening was replaced by Ruth’s crafting and during Kristin’s early years she would make her fancy lined dresses. She later expanded her crafting to make lovable stuffed animals and dolls, which many kids of neighbors, friends, and relatives proudly displayed bearing the “Made by Ruth” name tag on them.

She performed an admiral job of raising two children as a caring mother who lived for her children, later adding her three grandchildren to the list. In addition to being a loving wife and mother of two, she also loved her many dogs through the years, especially cocker spaniels and retrievers.

Ruth was also a very strong person and fighter, both in her faith and determination. She suffered a debilitating stroke 15 years ago that left her paralyzed on her entire left side and a poor prognosis. This stole from her those things she loved to do: the gardening, baking, and crafting. Following her stroke, her son was to be married in the coming nine months and she was determined to dance at his wedding. Through true grit, determination, her faith, and a fighting spirit, she achieved that objective, which doctors did not believe was possible.

Pre-deceased by her parents, William Christian Kenneweg and Meta Aschoff Kenneweg, siblings William Kenneweg (Red Hook, NY), Edward Kenneweg (Prescott, AZ), Doris Kenneweg Nichols (Norwalk, CT) and Howard Kenneweg (Brooklyn, NY), she is survived by her husband of 61 years, Robert Bruns (Belle Mead); children: Kristin Bruns Chenworth (Geoffrey) of Schnecksville, PA and Kirk Lars Bruns (Colleen) of Waitsfield, VT; and three grandchildren: Megan Chenworth (Chicago, IL), Andrew Chenworth (Northampton, PA), and Stephen Chenworth (Cleveland, OH.).

A private funeral for immediate family was held August 4 at Christ the King Lutheran Church, in Kendall Park with a private burial at Rocky Hill Cemetery, Rocky Hill.

Memorial contributions may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY, Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kendall Park or via random acts of kindness to others, as Ruth loved to do.