Birthplace: Aurora, OH

City of Residence: Mentor, OH

Memorial Date: 03/25/2013 - 11 a.m.

Memorial Location: Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon.

Ruth Marie (nee Sommers) Bereit, of Mentor, passed away March 21, 2013, at Heartland of Mentor. She was 83.
She had been a resident of Mentor for 43 years.
Ruth was born May 8,1929, in Aurora, Ohio, to Roy Lee and Rose Marie (nee Carson) Sommers. The family relocated to Ravenna and she graduated from Ravenna Township High School in 1947. She then attended Boheckers Business College in Ravenna.
She was active in her high school student council and college sorority.
Ruth was a Sunday school teacher as a young adult. She enjoyed the company of a large extended family growing up with many aunts, uncles and cousins in the Aurora and Ravenna area.
Ruth was a descendant of many early Mennonite settlers in the area, including the Stutzman, Hershberger and Hostetler families. She also was a direct descendant of Jacob Hochstetler, who helped to establish the first organized Amish Mennonite congregation in America by 1740.
She met Kenneth William Bereit in Ravenna while he was attending Kent State. They married Dec. 17, 1949, at the Church of the Brethren in Kent.
Mrs. Bereit retired from Heartland of Mentor as a dietary aid in 2006.
She enjoyed caring for her family, gardening, animals, reading, sewing and cooking.
Ruth was loving mother of Kenneth William Bereit Jr. of Fletcher, N.C., Sandra Jill (Douglas) Haberecht of Chardon Township, Eric (Elaine) Bereit of Willoughby, Nicholas Lee (Linda) Dybo of Chardon Township and Quinten (Sue) Bereit of Painesville Township; cherished grandmother of Adam ( Sherry) of North Carolina, Annie (Jeremiah) of Tennessee, April (Bill) of Georgia, Ben of of Ohio, Erin of Virginia, Karen of Willoughby, Kelsey of Chardon Township, Mike (Leslee) of Willoughby and Quinton of Chardon Township; and great-grandmother of six.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Kenneth William Bereit Sr.; brother, Lloyd “Bud” Sommers; and infant sister.
She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. March 25 at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon.
Visitation is 4-6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Larned Cemetery (at Hermitage and Mentor roads) in Chardon Township.