July 5, 1949 – Saturday, August 4, 2007
Service Information
St. John’s Lutheran-Howard Lak
Sunday, August 12, 2007
2:00 p.m.
Visitation Information
Ruth Ann Ouverson, age 58, of Marysville Township unexpectally died in her home August 4th, 2007.
Ruth Ann was born on July 5, 1949 to Henry and Mildred (nee Harvey) Wahnschaffe. She worked as an Early Child and Family Education (ECFE) Coordinator for School District 883.
She is survived by husband, Douglas; children, Troy (Kelli) of Buffalo, and Alyssa (Benjamin) Porubcan of Fox Point, WI; step-children, Douglas, Jr. (Kelly) of Florida, Barbara (Mike) Long of Osakis, Candy (Scott) Elsbury of Mason City, IA, and Theresa (John) Leiting of Ankeny, IA; brothers, Kenneth (Alice) Wahnschaffe, and Norman (Norma) Wahnschaffe, all of Blackduck; sisters, Mary (Dale) Joy of Blackduck, and Wanda (Ray) Murray of Florence, KY; step-grandchildren; nieces; and nephews.
Visitation for Ruth will be Saturday, August 11th, 2007 from 4 to 8pm at The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo with a prayer service at 7pm.
The funeral service will be Sunday, August 12th, 2007 at 2pm at St. John Lutheran Church in Howard Lake with a 1 hour visitation prior to the start of the service.
Interment will be at Kreidler Cemetery in Montrose, Minnesota.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wright County Humane Society or Minnesota Teen Challenge.
Doug, Troy & Kelly, and Allysa ~
Words cannot convey our deep sympathy at the recent loss of your loving wife and Mom. It is a mystery to all of us why such terrible things happen…especially to those as dear as Ruth. Please know that we all will be thinking and praying for you in the days and months ahead. If there is anything at all we can do to help you, just call and we’ll be right there. Much love to you all during this very difficult time in your lives. May God Keep You Close,
Carol (Harms) and Steve Stein, Michele (Harms) and Phung Dinh & Family, Megan Harms, Mike Harms
Would like to add our condolences. May God be with You and your family.
Ruth will be very much missed at our 40th Blackduck high school reunion this weekend. We will remember the pretty girl with the sweet smile, the bright student, the petite person who loved horses, and the fearless young hunter who shot a bear!
Doug & Family;
Words cannot describe the loss we are all feeling at this time. I worked with Ruth in the Early Childhood program and will always remember her smiling face. My thought and prayers are with you and your family during this time.
Doug and family, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. We don’t understand God’s plans sometimes, but sending our thoughts and prayers to you at this difficult time. She always had that quiet smile when we met, remember her making that money rose at Carol Jepsen’s or you guys coming in to vote or other township affairs, she always greeted me (like old friends) when I’d see her at the Advent brunch. Sending our deepest sympathy to you. From: Rena Marketon
Words alone cannot tell you how sorry my family is. We are so sad, we were just in blackduck with my dad, Bud, her cousin. I’m so glad he got to see her. She was such a beautiful person and will be sooo missed.
I’m very sorry for your loss.
Troy, Kelly and Family,
I am very sorry to have learned the loss of your mother! We sometimes don’t understand God’s plan for all of us, and we don’t always have the answers we are looking for. May God watch over your family and give you strenght to overcome this difficult time you are facing. I want you to know that your family is in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The Moselle family…..deeply saddened by your loss___may your mother’s spirit for life be carried with you forever…..Dale and Deanna
Doug and family…My sincerest condolences
Doug, Troy and Alysa:
I was so sorry to hear of your loss! There are no words that I or anyone could possibly convey that would let you know that we know how you must be feeling at this time.
I knew Ruth personally as I was her secretary to the ECFE Program @ Rockford for many years and I knew her to be a wonderful and dedicated person who believed in the ECFE concept with all her heart. She will be missed! My prayers for all of you at this time and may the Lord be with you today, this week, and all the tomorrows.
Ouverson Family –
I am very sorry to hear of your loss. I worked with Ruth over the years since 1992 through the CDA Program. The thoughts and prayers of the staff at Bemidji State University Child Development Training Program are with your family.
Ouverson Family:
I would like to extend my sympathies in the loss of Ruth. I met Ruth several years ago when I worked with the Head Start preschool program, where I crossed paths with Ruth often in providing services to preschool children and their families in the Rockford area. I remember Ruth as a true professional, who was very dedicated and worked tirelessly for the children and families in the district. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Doug.. Im so very sorry to hear of your loss. Your in our minds and prayers here in Fertile.
Troy and Kelli,
We are deeply saddened for you amidst your loss, praying for you and your family. Wishing you a spirit of hope and healing.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Mike, Suzanne, Avery, and Olivia Markuson
Doug and Family, Ruth had such a kind heart and positive spirit. I am praying for comfort for you during this time of extreme sadness.
I am so sorry and saddened to hear the news of Ruth’s passing. I know her through the ECFE program at Rockford Elementary School. We have been attending since my oldest was 9 months old and my kids LOVE the program. This program is what it is because of all the hard and dedicated work that Ruth did for the children there. She will be missed so much by all.
Christie, Patrick, Ryan, Nathan & Grace Fleischhacker
Doug & Family,
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. You will be kept in my prayers. Condolences to you and your family.
Troy & Family,
Thinking of you during this sad time. I hope all those wonderful memories you have of your mom will help carry you through this diffucult time. Lean on the the friends around you for support…….Heather
I’m sorry to hear about Ruth’s death. She will be missed a lot by everyone that knew her and she will be missed by me.
Doug: Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
To Ruth’s Family– Please know that you are in my thoughts. The time I worked for Ruth was wonderful. To work with a friend who was a total professional who loved her job, the children and the ECFE concept was a joy. She made the Rockford ECFE program/ preschool program a star in the area. I will miss her long emails updating me on family and school news. I will miss my friend.
Dear Doug and family,
I was so sorry to hear of your tragic loss. There are many, many people thinking of you at this time of sorrow, and we all hope you can find peace and comfort in your memories.
Sorry to hear about your loss. I am a past ECFE family. Ruth was always there to brighten up my day, and to tell me that everything would be OK, with 4 children. She is a sweet woman and she will be missed dearly by me and my family and many others.
To Ruth’s family and friends, Words cannot express what I feel at this time. Ruth was a great mentor for me and many others whose lives she touched through the CDA program. She had a knack for finding the best in you and bringing it out to give you self-confidence. She will be greatly missed. I feel very lucky to have known Ruth and that I was taught by the best. God Bless You all and you are and will be kept in my prayers.
My heart sank when I heard of Ruth’s death. I knew Ruth after student and substitute teaching at Rockford ECFE. She was so passionate about caring for young children and their families. Such a lovely woman. She will be greatly missed in the early childhood community. As a person who lost a loved one in a similarly tragic way my heart and prayers go out to you. May God comfort and hold you in your time of sadness.
We are thinking of her, and of the family there. Mildred’s daughter, both beautiful women. mom (Edith Harvey)talked of Mildred and of Ruth Ann quite often, especially in her later years.
Thanks to Sue Ripton for letting all of us know about this .
My Husband Herb and I hope that all of the famly there can have only happy memories of her someday soon, and can lean on each other now.
Our family would like to offer our sincere condolences to Ruth’s family. As teachers of Rockford, we are so hurt to hear about the loss of “one of our own”. As parents of a child that just completed Rockford’s preschool program, we were lucky to have the opportunity to get to know her on several different levels. To say the least, we are heart-broken and wish the family all of our prayers. May God help you through this difficult time. Her memory will live forever in our hearts.
Dear Family of Ruth,
Ruth was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I knew her when the Early Childhood Program was located at Rockford High School. She was a highly respected colleague who brought kindness and grace to our profession. The untimely, harsh circumstances of her death are incomprehensible, and I cannot imagine the pain you must feel. May each of you find peace in days ahead, and know that the world is a better place for her having been here.
Ouverson family, I am so very sorry for your loss. Ruth was such an incredible mentor to me when I was in college. I have some very fond memories of teaching ECFE classes with her in Rockford. Please take care of eachother during this difficult time. You are in my prayers.
My heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.
Troy,
I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. You and your family are in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Melissa, Kevin, Mason and Chase Lesyinski
To the Family of Ruth Ouverson,
May you be comforted at this time
of great sorrow. Many of us are with you in prayer.
I know Ruth from the MN Reggio Network. I first met her at a presentation that my colleague, Lani Shapiro and I gave. Ruth asked wonderful questions and had many profound insights that she shared. After that, I met up with her regularly through the Saturday meetings and other presentations. Always, to me, Ruth stood out demonstrating a passion for working with children in deep and meaningful ways–always asking the difficult questions and pressing for clarification. She has taught me so much. I will miss our rich conversations.
This quote arrived in my hands after my father passed away. It took awhile–but it brought me some amount of peace. I hope it is meaningful for you.
May the GLORIES your loved one now experiences be a source of comfort for you.
Blessings to you!
Michele Walsh
Early Childhood Educator
School Readiness/Community Kindergarten
St. Paul Public Schools
Monroe Community School
810 Palace Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102
Doug, Troy, Kelli, Alyssa and Ben–
We offer our deepest sympathies to your family. We are both very lucky to have known Ruth both personally and professionally. She was always so proud of you–always happy to share what was going on in your lives with us. At work, Ruth was an ultimate professional. She built a strong ECFE and preschool program for the Rockford School District. She was very passionate about bringing the children and their families the best programs possible. Ruth was always there to listen, offer support, and would always take time out to show that she cared. You are in our thoughts and prayers–we pray that you will find peace and comfort. Ruth’s legacy lives on in all of you and also in the ECFE/preschool program she worked so hard for and put her heart into. She will be missed by all who knew her.
To Ruth’s loved ones,
Please accept my deepest sympathy at this time of sudden loss and uncertainty. I knew Ruth as a compassionate, energizing, and inspiring professional when I worked for ISD 883 in the 1990s. She touched many lives. Her work and memory lives on in many whom you will never know.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We hope your memories help you through this time.
I am so sorry to hear of the tragic death of Ruth. God bless you and your family at this difficult time. You are in my prayers.
Doug – Our heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ruth, you, and all the family always.
Larry, Judy, Jo Lynda, Anngela, Ericka and families
Doug and Family
Our hearts and prayers go out to you and your family
If there is anything we can do please call or stop by we will always be there for you
Your freinds at Gary’s Diesel Service
Pat
To the Ouverson family,
I am greatly saddened at Ruth’s passing. My six-year-old son attended ECFE classes and preschool through Ruth’s department. My three-year-old daughter also attended ECFE classes and will be starting preschool in the fall. My children are more social and eager to learn, and certainly I am a better parent, thanks to the resources and support made available through her early childhood programs. Some of my closest friendships are the ones I made with other ECFE moms. The extent of Ruth’s positive impact on so many lives is impossible to calculate. God bless all of you!
Doug,
So sorry to hear of your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We trust God will give you strength and peace at this sad, horrible time.
Neal and Jane Luker
My sincere sympathy in the loss of your wife, mother and grandmother. Those of us working in Early Childhood Family Education will miss Ruth. May God send His peace to help heal your hearts.
We at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis are so sorry to hear about the loss of Ruth. I worked with Ruth through our MacPhail partnership with Rockford ECFE. She was a wonderful person who loved children. Losing Ruth is a great loss to the field of early childhood and the arts. She loved music and the impact it had on children’s lives. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely, Dianna Babcock
Director of early childhood music at MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis
Troy, Kelli and family-
Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers daily. If there is anything that we can do for you right now, please, please do not hesitate to call.
Love,
Cody and Sheri
Dear Ouverson Family,
I am sorry to hear of your loss. I worked with Ruth on a few occassions and will always remember her passion for eductating parents and children. She was an inspiration and will be missed. God Bless, Jill Hylla
Dear Ouverson Family:
What your family has had to endure is something no one should ever have to live through and I am so very sorry for your loss. I knew Ruth through ECFE classes for my children, and each year I was always surprised and touched that even though she’d met hundreds of parents over the years, she always remembered my name and asked about my kids. She did a great job and it’s guaranteed that ECFE will have tough shoes to fill.
Wishing you peace…
To the Ouverson Family: I never knew Ruth but I am one of her cousins from California. I was very saddened by your loss. I lost one of my sons in 1986 when he fell off a cliff into the ocean. Sudden death is so shocking.. May the peace of the Lord comfort you each day and the memories carry you through until you meet again on that wonderful day when we can all be together again with our loved ones. Know that she is looking down on you even now through the glory of the Lord. Look for signs.. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted”..
I am Shawn Murray’s sister-in-law. Even though we didn’t know Ruth our prayers are with you in this time of need. May God be with you and your family.
Your entire family is in my thoughts and prayers. I have met Ruth on several occassions during her visits to Ankeny to see Theresa and Johns family. Her kindness and gentleness are what stood out. It’s apparent that everyone who has come into contact with her noticed these very same traits. Hold on to your memories and know that she is always with you. In the gentleness of a breeze, in the falling of the leaves, she is with you.
My heartfelt condolences.
Doug, We are still in disbelief after hearing the news. I have just gone through the newspaper articles and am in shock. Rugh and I had a friendship that no matter how many years went by we could pick up right where we left off. Our heartfelt sympathy to you and the kids. Please don’t hesitate to call–our door is always open if you need to get away for awhile. Our prayes are with you. Love, Sandy and Jerry