Sally R. Amlie

Sally R. Amlie was born on October 4, 1935 to Arthur Kenneth and Helen (Steig) Ruebel at Mason City, Iowa and died Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital.

Sally was raised in several small communities in the area as her dad was a science teacher, coach and school administrator. He then went back to college (Iowa State) and earned his DVM; upon which he practiced in Fort Dodge and then on to Spirit Lake about 1947. Sally graduated as valedictorian from Spirit Lake High School in 1953 and went on to Iowa State College. In the spring of 1954 at a DeMolay-Rainbow dance, she met Rodney Amlie from Humboldt and a student at Grinnell College, they were married in October of that year. Sally then took some additional class studies at Grinnell. Two children later, Rod graduated and moved the family to Cherokee, Emmetsburg, and then Pocahontas where two more babies appeared. In 1972 the family moved to Humboldt; subsequently all 4 children graduated from Humboldt High School and then became 4-year graduates from various Iowa Colleges.

Family Engineering was Sally’s major specialty and accomplishment. She was a valuable asset to Rod’s parents and her own parents as time transpired. She was active in her church, her community and in numerous non-profit clubs and causes that she took an interest in. Particularly, the Congregational United Church of Christ and P.E.O. Sisterhood in Humboldt. Her favorite hobby was as a collector and trustee of the Haviland Collectors International Foundation, and participant in the local “Questors” club. Additionally, she was an informed successful investor and money manager. More than that, she was an environmentalist who didn’t want the earth to burn up or the water supply to be polluted for her grandchildren. Or the poor to be diminished with inadequate diets.

About 13 months ago, Sally was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the prognosis that it could be treated with chemo therapy but a fatal outcome would be a certainty. The chemo was successful in retarding the outcome, but made other undesirable conditions. After suffering a stroke on January 23, and further deterioration, she and her family elected to not expand any treatments. For quite a few years, she had suffered greatly from arthritis in her back, shoulder and hands which was extremely painful. Together with her faith in Jesus, all this pain is now conquered.

Sally is survived by her husband Rod of over 71 years, children: Nick (Elaine) of Roseville, Minnesota.; Nancy Karr (Randy Trau) of Redlands, California.; Judy (Don Trella) of Groton, Connecticut; and Tom (Sylvia) of Cedar Falls, Iowa.; 10 grandchildren and nearly 10 great-grandchildren; brother, Tom Ruebel of Arizona and sister, Janet (Jim) Bergman, of Norwalk, Iowa.

A special “Thank You” to the staff at Humboldt County Memorial Hospital, St. Croix Hospice and her many friends who have loved and supported Sally.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 21st at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Humboldt. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20th at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral & Cremation Service, Humboldt. Burial in the Ruebel Family plot at North Lawn Cemetery, Fort Dodge, will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Congregational United Church of Christ, Humboldt or the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital.   www.masonlindhart.com