Ruth L. Gottsch, 97, of Oakland, formerly of Bennington, died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at the Oakland Heights Home in Oakland.

Services were Monday, Oct. 26, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bennington.

Burial was in the Kennard Cemetery.

Ruth L. French was born July 18, 1901, in Kennard, the second daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Renchen) French.

She graduated from Kennard High School in 1920.

She also attended Wayne Normal School at Wayne and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

On Oct. 20, 1926, she married Charles J. Gottsch of Bennington.

The couple built a farm place east of Washington and lived there for 58 years.

They moved to Blair in December of 1984. Mr. Gottsch died in 1985. Mrs. Gottsch continued to live in Blair until moving to the Oakland Heights Home in Oakland in August of 1991.

She had taught at Washington, Snyder, Wakefield and the March School north of Kennard.

She had also worked at Boys Town for 11 years, starting in 1954.

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Charles T. and Deloris Gottsch of Loveland, Colo.; a daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and dale Anderson of Uehling; three grandchildren, Steven Charles Gottsch; Michael Anderson and wife, Paige, and Kathleen Anderson; four great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Jordan, Jace and Jocelyn; one sister, Margaret Jones of Merced, Calif.; and two sisters-in-law, Bernita Gottsch and Roma Dresher, both of Omaha.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles J.; her parents; one sister, Lillian Plugge, and grandson, Mark Thomas Gottsch.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.