Patricia E. Ruch, of Kutztown, formerly of Whitehall, died May 6, 2015, in the Inpatient Hospice Unit of Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown.

She and her husband Ernest I. Ruch, Sr. were married for 57 years on April 26.

Born Oct. 17, 1941, in Pennsville, Northampton County, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Elizabeth (Pavolko) Reinhard.

She was a school bus driver in the Parkland School District for 10 years before retiring in 2005.

Prior to that, she was a sewing machine operator at the former 21st Street Clothier, Northampton, and the former Deeville Blouse Co., Danielsville for 30 years.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by children, Ernest I. Jr. and his wife, Lee, and Rodney R. and his wife, Pamela, all of Kutztown, Wendy M. Gambler and her husband, Scott, of Fleetwood; sister Harriet Klingaman of Trexlertown; brothers Richard of Troy, Russell of Allentown; sister-in-law Dorothy Lakatosh of Schnecksville; father-in-law Willard G. Ruch of Whitehall; eight grandchildren; two great-granddaughters.

She was predeceased by a brother, Gary.

Expressions of sympathy may be recorded at heintzelmancares.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hershey Hope Lodge, c/o the funeral home, P.O. Box 196, Schnecksville, PA 18078-0196.

Arrangements made by Heintzelman Funeral Home Inc., Schnecksville.