Carolyn M. Ruter, age 74 of Shannon, IL, passed away on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at FHN Memorial Hospital in Freeport, IL. She was born March 15, 1944; the daughter of the late Otto "Ottie" and Betty (Smith) Kniss. She graduated as Valedictorian from Shannon Schools where she enjoyed helping her fellow classmates. On February, 28, 1969, Carolyn married Roger Ruter at Bethel United Methodist Church in Shannon.

In her younger years, she worked for Economy Insurance in Freeport and for the First State Bank of Shannon. She worked up until a few weeks before her first son was born, she then decided to devote all of her time to caring for their family and raising their children. In later years when their children were grown, she worked in the cafeteria at Eastland Schools for 27 years.

She was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School for 17 years and helped serve many church luncheons. She was a fierce woman of faith and enjoyed listening to Southern Gospel music and attending area Christian music concerts. She also enjoyed crafts, going antiquing, and shopping for her granddaughters. Carolyn was famously known as "The Cookie Lady." She loved baking cookies for her friends and would bake about 1,000 dozen cookies throughout the year and 500 dozen during the Christmas Season alone, all done from her own kitchen.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Ruter of Shannon; sons, Mark (Barb) Ruter and Derek (Crystal) Ruter both of Shannon; granddaughters, Emma, Rielly, and Payton; and sister-in-law, Janice (Melvin) Colberg of Freeport. She was preceded in death by her parents.