Elma Anna Ruthardt

Elma Anna Ruthardt, 95 of Leelanau Co, passed away with pneumonia on July 30, 2016 at Munson Medical Center. Elma was born at home in Solon Township, March 19, 1921. She was the youngest daughter of Frank and Lydia (Lautner) Ruthardt, sister to Emma Ruthardt Lederer and Bertha Ruthardt, all deceased.

She graduated from Newman School. She began working as a youngster on the family farm and helped in grading, receiving and selling potatoes at Ruthardt’s Cedar Run Siding. Elma continued farming at the family homestead after her father’s death. She also sold commercial fertilizer for many years.

Elma was on the first Solon Township’s Planning Board and served for 20 years. Her love and interest in Leelanau County and Northwest Michigan events ran deep. She, up until the last week of her life, read the Leelanau Enterprise and Grand Traverse Record Eagle from front to back.

Elma is survived by her first cousins: William M. (Dorothy) Miller of Traverse City, Louis R. (Karen) Miller of Rochester and Roberta Miller Dow of Lake Ann. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Cherryland Humane Society or Cedar Fire Department. The family would like to thank Joy Givers Senior Home and Munson Medical Center for their wonderful assistance to Elma.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 4, 2016; 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Covell Funeral Home in Traverse City. A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016; 11:00 a.m. with visitation beginning one hour prior to the service, also at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City. Please share your fond memories of Elma on the family's online guestbook.