Inland resident, Ruth Stookey (Benway) Roback, 94, passed away Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare, Hastings, Nebraska.

Services will be Saturday, August 13, 2011; 10:00 A.M. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Hastings with Pastor Barry Rempp officiating. Burial will be Saturday, August 13, 2011; 1:00 P.M. in Inland Cemetery, Inland, Nebraska. Visitation will be Thursday, August 11, 2011; 5:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M., Friday, August 12, 2011; 9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. with family present 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home, and one hour prior to service at the church. Memorials may be given to First Congregational United Church of Christ, Clay County Historical Society, or Inland Cemetery Association.

Ruth was born March 24, 1917 to Victor A. & T. Ione (Stookey) Benway in Fairmont, Nebraska. She attended the Fairmont Public Schools and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1935. She attended the Hastings Business College and graduated in 1938. Ruth was a secretary for the Hastings Credit Bureau and later the General Credit Bureau. During World War II, Ruth volunteered as a Red Cross nurse’s aide at the Mary Lanning Hospital. She married Charles William “Bill” Roback on October 6, 1945. They lived in Hastings at the time. Bill farmed near Inland, Nebraska and Ruth continued to work at the Credit Bureau until the birth of their daughter, Jean in 1948. Their son, Paul was born in 1950. The Roback family then moved to their farm near Inland in 1952. Bill continued to farm until his death on January 31, 1994. Ruth lived on the farm until her death. She loved to sew, read, and work out of doors. Until a few years ago she had a large vegetable garden and canned the produce. Ruth and Bill enjoyed fishing at Harlan County Dam and traveling in their motor home. They especially liked taking their grandchildren, Kristin and Kevin camping and fishing. Ruth was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church. She became a member of the church in her childhood home of Fairmont, Nebraska and later transferred her membership to the Hastings First Congregational U.C.C. Church. She was a longtime member of the Clay County Historical Society.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Charles William Roback; daughter-in-law, Karen Roback; brother, Floyd T. Benway; sister, Gladys I. Jensen; brother-in-law, George A. Jensen; nieces, Mary Benway and Elaine Jensen; and nephews, Victor Jensen, Earl Jensen, Jerold Fishel, and Carl Swearingen.

Survivors include:
Daughter & Spouse: Jean & Randy Stinnette – Inland, NE
Son: Paul Roback – Inland, NE
Grandchildren & Spouses: Kristin & Scott Schultz – Doniphan, NE
    Kevin & Jody Roback – Inland, NE
Great-Grandsons: Reid Schultz – Doniphan, NE
    Cade Schultz – Doniphan, NE
    Jonah Roback – Inland, NE
Great-Granddaughter: Grace Schultz – Doniphan, NE
Nieces & Spouse: Dorothy Fishel – OR
    Loma & Charles E. Taylor – OR
    Marjorie Swearingen – Hastings, NE
    Mary Jensen – WA
Many Grand-Nieces & Grand-Nephews