Ruth Knote recalled for cooking, the arts and family

The long life of 1945 Cape Girardeau Central graduate Ruth Rueseler Knote, who died Monday, March 27, at age 95, seems to fit Merriam-Webster Dictionary's definition of a "renaissance woman."

To wit: a woman interested in and knowledgeable about many things.

"Heavenly days, (Ruth) was incredibly knowledgeable about barbecue," said Knote's nephew, Rob Rueseler of Cape Girardeau.

"She and my uncle Charlie were judges of barbecue contests and co-wrote a barbecue cookbook together. She was (also) active in classical music and raised a whole bunch of kids."

In early 1990s, the Knotes published "Barbecuing and Sausage-Making Secrets: How to Buy Beef, Pork, Poultry, Lamb, Fish and Sausage", which as of Wednesday, March 29, was still available on www.amazon.com and which the family says has sold more than 15,000 copies.

Ruth Knote

Ruth Knote

"She was a natural gourmet cook and liked to experiment, but what's interesting is her own mother did not let her in the kitchen as a child," said Elizabeth "Lizbe" Knote, one of Ruth's five children, four of whom survive her. "In fact, the only thing my mom knew how to make when she and Dad got married was a chocolate cake. "(Mom) taught cooking to all of us, and went to cooking school herself in New Orleans, San Francisco and Quebec, Canada."

In 2003, the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce awarded Ruth Knote its barbecue award. A year earlier, Ruth was named a "heroine" by the National BBQ Association.

Lizbe also recalled her mother's commitment to education.

"She expected all of us to go to college and graduate — and we all did," she added. "Can you imagine? She had five kids in five different schools at one time, and not one of us back then had a driver's license."

Ruth Knote received an associate degree in music in 1947 from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri; three years later, she earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Celebrated local orchestra director Jerry Ford recalled Ruth's personal instrument was the cello.

"I remember when I was just a kid playing in the trumpet section rehearsing in the basement of (Southeast Missouri State University's) Academic Hall. I recall looking over at Ruth in the strings section," Ford said. "In later years, Ruth and I served on the university's River Campus board when we had a lot of decisions to make, and she and I pretty well saw eye to eye on most things. I remember (Ruth's) big, beautiful grin from way across the room."

Among Ruth Knote's many accolades was being named the Otto F. Dingeldein Award winner in 1985 from Arts Council of Southeast Missouri for outstanding achievement. She was also a Zonta Club Woman of Achievement Award recipient, recognizing her volunteer work in the arts and the Girl Scouts.

"Cape and the arts community have lost a champion. Ruth loved Cape and she loved the arts," Ford concluded.