Ruthie Sargent, 87, of Martin, S.D., passed away peacefully Oct. 12, 2015, at Rapid City Regional Hospital, surrounded by her beloved children and grandchildren.

Ruthie was born in the midst of a rugged blizzard near Fort Calhoun, Dec. 7, 1927. She was the third child of Edward Gard (E.G.) Liggett and Francis Jorgensen Liggett. In the spring, 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression and onset of the dust bowl, EG decided to move his family to Bennett County and farm a quarter of land southwest of Martin, S.D. While many farmers were pulling stakes and heading to California in search of a better life, EG chose the more precarious path. He had a Pontiac car as well as a truck loaded with all of their possessions. Life was still a bit primitive in Bennett County at that time as neither parts nor trained mechanics were available for any of the vehicles. When those broke down, EG went back to using horses and wagons because they could be purchased and "maintained" more easily.

Prior to expanding the farm, the family lived in a very basic tar-paper house. Ruthie recalled that the winters were brutally cold and the summers hot and dusty. The dust was everywhere and covered everything despite all attempts to keep it out, including their food. She also recalled that being so young, she knew no other way of life and said it never stopped her from enjoying the life she knew, both working hard and playing with her older siblings, Jean and Dale Liggett. When not working, they would climb on the work horses and ride to the neighbors to play. Ruthie also became proficient at killing rattlesnakes with a rock, using a stone she dubbed her "good-luck" rock as it was most accurate. She was not discouraged from this hobby by her parents. She "guessed they liked thinning the snakes around the place."

Her earliest memory of a personal financial venture was done to both help preserve the family crop as well as put a little money in her pocket for candy purchases during trips to town. She got paid one penny for every 100 potato beetles she would pick and drop into a bucket of kerosene. She said it took longer to count "those darn things" than to pick them! She also drove the tractor at the age of 8, pulling the hay wagon around the field while they loaded the bundles. She learned to prefer this over the kitchen and the dreaded chore of cleaning the cream separator with lye soap, the resulting "gawd-awful" slime she found unbearable!

Ruthie and her siblings attended the Wordeman School for elementary classes before all attended and graduated from Bennett County High School. Ruthie was 12 when she started as a freshman at BCHS. She recalled with sadness when Pearl Harbor was bombed on her 13th birthday. She also recalled the many happy times she had in high school. She had many good friends in high school and their friendship lasted a lifetime. She recalled going to a local dance hall called The Subway and being taught to dance by her many schoolmates, being forever indebted to Tete Skalinder and Lillian Bayliss for teaching her the many dances of the times. Graduating in 1944 at the age of 16, Ruthie started her professional life working for Mrs. Looby in the Dry Goods Store. This she did until called back to work with her father on the farm as most of the men at the time were in the service during WWII and like many of her friends, they all became full-time tractor drivers.

Following the end of the war, she met Floyd Laverne Sargent and Sept. 1, 1946, the two were wed. Ruthie stated that this was "by far the smartest thing I had done yet, as he was a wonderful husband to me always." Their first son was Ronald Ross, born during the Blizzard of 1949. Ron was followed by Barbara "Bobbi" Jean in 1951, Dee Ann in 1954, Roy Dale in 1959 and Kenneth Gard in 1961.
Ruthie was constantly busy, cooking and caring for all her kids as well as hired men. She maintained a big garden, 200 chickens and canned quarts of food to help with the load. It was during this time her lifelong passion for canning and making jelly was firmly and forever established. To this day, it is difficult not to mention jelly and Ruthie in the same sentence.

She once commented that while "Old Sarge worked like a fool, they rarely missed a dance," a passion that also lasted their lifetime. A memory for all her children was the love and talent for dance that both Ruthie and Floyd displayed when they would Polka or Waltz together. It was a beautiful thing to watch for us.

In 1964, the two purchased the Crossroads Motel in Martin, Ruthie managing the motel for 10 years while Floyd farmed. With kids and hired men still needing raised and/or fed, Ruthie juggled it all like a pro. At a later time, Floyd experienced a health scare that gave Ruthie the desire to learn healthcare practices. She took the necessary classes, gaining her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate and working for 30 years at the Bennett County Hospital. She dearly loved her work there and the many life-long friends she gained, both peers and patients.

Ruthie was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for 56 years. In 1967 she became Worthy Matron of Martin Chapter 171. She was justifiably proud of this accomplishment as well as earning her 50 year pin, and enjoyed the company of all her fellow members.

Ruthie took great pleasure in her friends and family. She loved to visit with all those she loved and missed no opportunity to do so. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren, but loved extended family and friends with no less enthusiasm.

Her passion for making jelly, which she pursued with the same intensity of a professional wine maker, was matched only by her joy in giving it to those who enjoyed eating it. When asked what she did for a living after retiring from the hospital, her answer was "I sell jelly," followed by a wink, as she knew she gave away far more than she ever sold.

Survivors include sister, Jean 'Liggett' Weinmaster of Martin, S.D.; three sons, Ron of Custer, S.D., Roy and Ken of Denver, Colo.; two daughters, Dee Ann Rosane of Rapid City, S.D. and Bobbi Sargent-Hamilton of La Veta, Colo.; and eight grandchildren, Kristi Sargent of Shanghai, China, Cory Sargent of Kauai, Hawaii, Jennifer Rosane of Gordon, Kevin (KC), Andy and Daniel Sargent of Denver, Colo., and Isabella and Sophia Sargent of Denver, Colo.

Ruthie was preceded in death by her parents, EG and Frances Liggett; husband, Floyd Sargent; and brother Dale Liggett.

A memorial service was in Martin, S.D. Oct. 19, 2015. An additional service will be near Anselmo, sometime this summer.

A memorial has been established. Donations may be sent to Bennett County Funeral Service, PO Box 65, Martin, SD 57551