Ruth Giebel

On Tuesday, October 27, 2009, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, Ruth Lee Antonsen Giebel, went to be with our Lord. Ruth was born March 22, 1945 to Phillip and Marjorie (Richter) Antonsen in Bozeman, Montana. Ruth graduated from Bozeman High School in 1963. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in March of 1964 and continued the family tradition of 4 generations of military family members, which included both her parents, her brother Theodore, daughter Lori, sons Michael and SFC Mark Tibbedeaux currently serving in the US Army, granddaughter Jackie Tibbedeaux, and nephews Tom Antonsen and SSGT Bryan Simanton currently serving in the US Air Force. Ruth was Honorably Discharged from the Marine Corps February 1965. While she was in the Marine Corps she met and married Don Tibbedeaux. To this union three children were born; Michael Jerome, Mark William, and Marjorie Lorraine. They later divorced. Ruth enlisted in the United States Army Reserve August 1974 in the 420th Military Police Company in Bozeman, MT. She later transferred to the 889th Supply and Service Company, Great Falls, MT. July 1977 she was transferred to the 125th Ordnance Battalion in Billings, MT. where she served 24 consecutive years. The highest enlisted rank she held was Staff Sergeant. She was appointed to Warrant Officer in September 1979 and was promoted through the ranks to Chief Warrant Officer 4 in September 1994. She retired October 20, 2001 with 28 total years of service. She also retired as a full time Army Reserve Technician, GS9, in September 1995. Ruth was awarded the Order of Samuel Sharpes (Ordnance Corps), Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal (4), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Ten Year Device, Army Component Achievement Medal (7). She had two overseas missions #8211; Germany and Okinawa. Ruth met her soul mate, Edmund Jesse Giebel, on a blind date in 1988. They were married July 1, 1989 and had 20 glorious years together. After they both retired they lived in Billings, then Pinedale, WY, and then between Billings in the summer months and Yuma in the winter months. They enjoyed traveling, square dancing, hunting, fishing, horses, shooting, boon docking in the desert, gun shows, snowmobiling, rooting for the MSU Bobcats, and anything they did together. Just being together was their greatest joy. Ruth is survived by her husband Ed Jesse; sons Michael (Heather), Mark (Deb), daughter Lori (Tom) Bellows; grandchildren Sidney, Jackie, Christi, Michelle, Melissa, Kathy, Tina, Tyler and LeAnn; sisters Margaret (Miki)Antonsen- Wick, Carol (Hubert) Simanton, and brother Theodore (Joan) Antonsen; Ed#8217;s brother and sister-in-law Ray and Carmoleda Giebel. Ruth is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews, and family in Alabama. Ruth leaves behind a special friend, Jerome Hurley and her #8220;Forever Friends#8221; Susan Davidson and Suzann Nelson, along with numerous friends, sorority sisters, and military comrades all over the world that will never forget her. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Phillip (2000) and Marjorie Antonsen (2006), brother Patrick Thomas (1974), and sister Elizabeth Jean Antonsen Miller (2000). Ruth loved life and she believed in living life to the fullest. She had so many different interests and hobbies. She loved to quilt, sew, bead and make jewelry, garden, record family genealogy along with all the above activities she shared with Ed Jesse. Ruth was a member of the Reserve Officers Association, Life Member of the United States Army Warrant officers Association, Past Commander of the American Legion Post #4, Phillip Edwards American Legion Post #47, Pinedale, WY, Original Charter Member of the Eugene Sara Det. 418 Marine Corps League, Disabled American Veterans, Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Cowboy Action Shooting Society, Life Member of the National Rifle Association of America, Hoedowner#8217;s Square Dance Club, the Arizona Chapter of the 20/4, and Pinedale Sage and Snow Garden Club. Funeral Services will be 11:00A.M., Wednesday, November 4th at First United Methodist Church in Billings, and 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 5th at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Bozeman. Interment will be in Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman with full military honors. Memorial may be sent to the Huntley United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 184, Huntley, MT 59037, or a charity of your choice.