HERKIMER-Ruth S. Gokey, age 87, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, August 12, 2014, in Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center. She had the comfort of her loving daughter at her side. Ruth was born on July 15, 1927 in Little Falls, daughter of the late Karl G. and Elsie Knabe Schifferdecker. A lifelong area resident she was raised in Little Falls where she graduated from Little Falls High School with the class of "1945". She continued her education at Excelsior School of Business in Utica. On September 2, 1950, she was united in holy matrimony with Ellison R. "Bum" Gokey in Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Little Falls. They shared a loving and devoted union of nineteen years until his passing on November 4, 1969. For thirty-seven years Mrs. Gokey was employed by the Central New York Abstract Corp. in Herkimer. She retired in the fall of 2004. Ruth had a strong sense of community; she was active in the Herkimer P.T.A., Band Parents Club, East Herkimer Senior Citizens, Herkimer Senior Citizens and served as secretary of the Mohawk Valley Business Women. To all who knew Ruth, they always remember a caring, kind and helpful lady with an infectious smile. She enjoyed her many friends and adored her cherished family. She will be truly missed. Surviving are her daughter Cheryl Gokey of Herkimer, a niece, Carol Cross and her husband Denny of Herkimer, two nephews, Alfred Gokey and John Gokey and his wife Charlotte all of Herkimer, a great niece, Denise Brown, great nephews, Daniel Brown and his wife Tiffany and Douglas Brown all of East Herkimer, Michael Cross and his daughter, Emily Cross, David Cross and his wife Elyse and their daughter Jacki, of CT, John Gokey and his son Branden, a sister-in-law Shirley Roberts and her husband Daniel and their four children of TX. Besides her parents and husband Ellison, she was preceded in death by her daughter Barbara Perkins, two brothers, Harry and Ralph Schifferdecker. Calling hours for Mrs. Gokey will be on Thursday (today) from 4:00 until 7:00 pm. In Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street; Herkimer. Funeral service will be on Friday at 11:00 am in the funeral home. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Herkimer. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the Barbara Gokey Perkins Scholarship Fund, c/o Herkimer High School or the Herkimer County Humane Society. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Calling Hours Fenner Funeral Home Thursday, August 14, 2014 04:00 AM - 07:00 PM 115 Court Street Herkimer, NY 13350 Funeral Service Fenner Funeral Home Friday, August 15, 2014 11:00 AM 115 Court Street Herkimer, NY 13350