Ruth Wahl

Funeral Service for Ruth Wahl, 89, of Wheaton, Minnesota will be held Monday, January 14, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Minnesota with Rev. J.C. Duncan officiating. Interment will be in Wildwood Cemetery, Wheaton. Visitation will be held Sunday, January 13th from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the Ranney Funeral Home in Wheaton. Ruth passed away Thursday, January 10, 2008 at the Rosholt Care Center in Rosholt, South Dakota. Ruth was born in West Bend, Iowa on June 26, 1918 to Sam and Bertha (Scheitlin) Metzger. As a teenager, Ruth met Harvey Wahl in Iowa when he came from Minnesota to pick corn. They dated for 3 years and then married on November 22, 1936 in Peoria, IL. While still in Illinois Ruth worked as a maid for a prominent businessman and Harvey was the family butler. In 1947 they moved back to Wheaton to farm in Monson Township until the mid 70s, when their son-in-law Lee Schmidt took over the farming operation. Ruth always had dinner ready promptly at 12:00 noon. She was famous for her special grapefruit pie, which she learned to make in Texas. Ruth loved to do crafts, garden, sew clothes for her daughters Joyce and Janette as they grew up. Every year she would enter many items at the Traverse County Fair, especially pies, cakes and canned goods. She brought home many blue ribbons. Ruth was a 4-H Leader for 25 years. She also belonged the United Presbyterian Womens Group. Harvey and Ruth were Minnesota Sno-birds for 31 years. They spent many winters in Edinburg, Texas where she volunteered for 26 years at the local Chamber of Commerce. They enjoyed dancing at the Eagles Club in Wahpeton every Sunday. Ruth loved to dance even after she entered the Rosholt Care Center. She would enjoy the days when entertainment would be music so she could dance with the staff or another resident. She would light up when the grandchildren would come to see her. Ruth and Harvey both entered the Rosholt Care Center on August 23, 2006 when their health made it impossible to stay at home. Harvey passed away September 24, 2006. Survivors include: two daughters: Joyce Bock of Woodbury, Minnesota & Janette (Lee) Schmidt of Wheaton, Minnesota, one brother: Everett (Lois) Metzger, one sister: Emma Jean Pate of Clarion, Iowa, one sister-in-law: Hilda Roberts of Orient, Iowa, five grandchildren: Wayne (Debbie) Bock, Sherri Dinzeo, Dennis Bock, Robbie (Jaylene) Schmidt & Tara (James) Stotesbery, three great-grandchildren: Ashley & Anthony Bock, & Tammy Hamilton, three great-great-grandchildren: Nicholas Hamilton, & Devin & Elijah Williams, and many nieces & nephews. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband: Harvey, parents: Sam & Bertha Metzger, step-mother: Lina, brothers: Ben Metzger, Richards Metzger & Raymond Metzger, sisters: Marie Torgerson, Clara Bonnstetter, and one son-in-law: Kenneth Bock.

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