Ruby Pancratz

Ruby Henry Pancratz was born in 1886, Lowden, Iowa, and died in 1979. Ruby inherited her pioneer spirit from her grandmother, Charity More Henry, who traveled at an early age by covered wagon from Zanesville, Ohio to Lowden, Iowa.

Her mother, Eliza Jane Henry, was equally spirited and became a teacher which certainly inspired Ruby to pursue her interest and commitment to education.

Graduating from High School, in Lowden, she was an honor student and immediately took the teacher's exams and at age 17 years of age was awarded a teacher's certificate for second grade. After teaching in several locations she entered the Academy in Mt. Vernon and then attended Cornell College to further her teaching career.

Music...the Classics...and education of young people were her interests. In 1908 she married Otto Pancratz and raised a family of one son and three daughters in Lowden.

Always aware of community needs, she helped establish a library and became a reporter of community events for several eastern Iowa newspapers. Following the death of her husband, she continued her interest in helping people by following a nursing career. Even at her death in 1979, at the age of 93 she was giving of herself in attending the needs of the residents of the Hollenbeck Home in Los Angeles.

Ruby Pancratz was indeed an inspiration to her children so that they would develop confidence, self esteem, compassion for others, and be of service to the community.

Submitted on 3/95