CoeCollegeChronicles

From Germany to Iowa, home is where the heart is.

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As a young child, Ruth and her family moved from Germany to Dysart, Iowa. When Ruth’s family arrived in Iowa, they saved money with intentions of her moving to Germany and get her education.  When Ruth was ready for college, Germany was preparing for World War II, which made it dangerous for Ruth to move back. Ruth then decided to look for schools in Iowa and use the money her family saved up for college here. 

 

Where is he now?

When Ruth graduated from Coe, she and 12 friends started a round robin letter pass. They would each write a letter to someone in the group, who would then write their own letter and attach all previous letters sent to them in the same envelope. The letters continued for over thirty years.

 

After marrying John Bickel ‘43, the couple moved around, eventually settling back in Cedar Rapids.  They have three children. Ruth and John eventually opened the National Rivers Hall of Fame which is now a part of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, located in Dubuque, Iowa.