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(Co-Owner Of Lange’s Bakery In Archbold)
Our mom, Ruth Marilyn (Drewes) Lange, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, May 11, 2026, at the Inpatient Hospice Center in Defiance at the age of 92! Ruth was born on June 6, 1933, at home in rural Deshler to Lawrence and Helen (Hoops) Drewes.
She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Deshler. Ruth married Melvin F. Lange on June 14, 1953. He passed away on October 25, 2010.
When Ruth was six, she spoke only German and learned English once she started school. She graduated from Deshler High School in 1951. Her first job was at the Community Bank in Napoleon, working at the Christmas Club window.
She stayed there until she met Melvin, the love of her life. They met at Melvin’s brother’s wedding, where he asked her to dance and the rest is history. They were engaged on Christmas Eve, 1952. Ruth and Melvin were married for 57 years.
They lived in Napoleon before buying and opening Lange’s Bakery in 1954, then moved to Archbold, which became their home. Ruth worked with Melvin at the bakery as the bookkeeper and also made pies, coffee cake, and more.
After their five children were born, she became a full-time mom but still helped at the bakery when she could. She also took care of their large garden every spring, canning and freezing the harvest.
After mom and dad became empty nesters, they opened up their home to exchange students from Germany, Finland, and Switzerland, and eventually enjoyed traveling and visiting them in their home countries.
After retiring from the bakery, she volunteered at the gift shop at the Fulton County Health Center for over twenty years, from 1991 to 2022. She was proud of having worked 2,123 hours.
Ruth attended Zion Mennonite Church, where she enjoyed sewing days and visiting with the many friends she made over the years, but often said she felt like a Lutheran at heart.
She is survived by her children Philip (Susan), Stephen (Tina), Pamela (Steve) Meyers, Daniel (Deb), all of Archbold, and Timothy (Bonnie) of Thornville, OH. Twelve grandchildren, Mark, David (Rachel), Allison (Andy) Bentley, Andrea (Chris) Short, Adrianne (Trey) Smith, Ethan Meyers, Joshua (Mary) Meyers, Nathaniel (Lindsey), Breanna (Trevor) Daughtery, Jacob (Reagan), Joel (Kristin), and Drew (Katie). Twenty-two great-grandchildren. Mia, Jackson, Oliver, Genevieve, Anderson, Adelle, Archer, Willa, Eden, Ivy, Daniel, Lydia, Eleanor, Hudson, Rose, Violet, Elona, Georgia, Ivory, Silas, Theodore, and Isabelle.
She is also survived by two brothers, Robert (Danelda) Drewes and Dr. Lester (Rose) Drewes. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Melvin.
Visitation will be at Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Monday, May 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m., followed by a memorial service.
Memorials can be given to Luther Home of Mercy, Williston, OH, or Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center, Defiance, OH. www.ShortFuneralHome.com.
