Ruth Terpinski

Ruth Ellen Higbie Terpinski of Shiner passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from Parkinson’s disease.
Ruth was born in Findlay, Ohio, on September 1, 1934, to Helen Marie Smith Higbie and Merle Levoy Higbie. She grew up on her beloved family farm in Ohio with her two older brothers, John and Paul Higbie, as well as her grandparents, Cristina “Tennie” Ludwig Smith and Jacob Smith, and her aunt, Una Dale Higbie, close by.
Her parents instilled in her a strong work ethic and a lifelong love of animals.
As a young child, she cared for the runts and abandoned animals on the farm, feeding them extra food and giving them tender, loving care. She enjoyed playing with her cats, often placing them in her wicker baby buggy and pushing them around. She adored every family dog, always teaching them new tricks.
Like many farm children, Ruth had daily chores. She was responsible for the chicken coop—feeding, watering, and gathering the daily bucket of eggs. She also kept two large wood boxes filled with kindling—one in the kitchen near the cookstove and the other in the living room. 
Each day she brought in a bucket of fresh drinking water from the outdoor pump, as the house had only cistern water for washing and bathing.
As she grew older, Ruth loved driving the 1948 Ford tractor and helping her father cultivate the cornfields. In the big 1869 bank barn, she worked with her father using the ropes and pulleys to bring hay into the mow. 
She held countless fond memories of farm life with her parents, brothers, grandparents, and aunt. She also loved riding the county roads on the Cushman motor scooter.
Her mother started her and her brother Paul in 4-H at an early age. Ruth excelled in sewing and later modeled the suit she made at the Ohio State Fair.
In high school, Ruth was the sophomore attendant to the homecoming queen and was selected as Rawson High School’s very first FFA Chapter Sweetheart—a jacket she kept all her life. She later became the first Hancock County Fair Queen.
Ruth graduated from Tiffin University, excelling in typing and shorthand.
She met Chester Terpinski at her first job as a bookkeeper for the Krantz Old Dutch Brewery in Findlay, Ohio. They married on August 23, 1958, and later welcomed one son, Casper Merle Terpinski, named after his two grandfathers.
After moving to Shiner in 1968, where Chester became brewmaster at Spoetzl Brewery, Ruth worked as a saleswoman at Billie’s House of Fashion. Max Seidenberger, Superintendent of Shiner ISD, approached her about a teacher’s aide position working with special needs children in the Cuero ISD system. 
She later also drove a school bus, transporting children from Shiner and Moulton to Cuero. She retired after 23 years.
Ruth loved baking—especially her sugar cookies and fudge. For many years she ran a side business making cheesecakes for a local business and for individual customers. Her cheesecakes were well-known auction items at the annual church picnic.
Ruth volunteered at the Shiner Gaslight Theatre for 43 years. She served as a Pink Lady at Frank Wagner Hospital (now the Wagner Medical Clinic), was a charter member of the Pilot Club in Shiner, and was also a proud Red Hatter.
She later worked in the office at Spoetzl Brewery, completing a full circle—from beginning her career at a brewery to ending it at one.
From the very first day the family moved to Shiner, a kitten was found abandoned in the backyard bushes. This began a lifelong tradition of rescuing animals, and Ruth became a devoted “pet parent” to many throughout the years.
Ruth was a world traveler, having visited all seven continents. She found joy in exploring architecture, customs, and cultures around the world. She traveled to 45 U.S. states, mostly with her parents and her brother John, and collected handmade wooden boxes unique to each country. She was proud that she never once was pickpocketed and delighted in traveling during a time when it was more affordable.
She is survived by her son, Casper Merle Terpinski, and his wife, Anna Simone Novak Terpinski, as well as her sister-in-law Florence Higbie, and her nephews Tom and Gary Higbie and their families in Ohio.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Chester; her parents, Helen and Merle; and her brothers, Paul and John.
The family will receive friends from 4 - 6 p.m. Monday, March 9 at Shiner Funeral Home, with a Life Celebration following at 6 p.m. 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 10 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, with the Rev. Gabriel Mendoza serving as celebrant. 
Her final journey will be to Calvary Cemetery in Toledo, Ohio, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband Chester; his father, Kasper; his grandfather, Marcel Terpinski; Louis Terpinski; and other family members.
“Ruth touched the lives of everyone she met. Her kind and loving spirit left a lasting impression on all who knew her—including me. I treasured our friendship, a gift from God when our paths first crossed as we worked together at the Shiner Gaslight Theatre. I loved her dearly”, said Lynn Dworaczyk.
Memorials may be made to the Shiner Gaslight Theatre in Ruth’s name or to a charity of choice. Friends may leave condolences by visiting www.shinerfuneralhome.com. 
Services are under the care and direction of Shiner Funeral Home.