Ruth Elizabeth Eklund, 95, our sweet and gentle mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend passed away peacefully January 4, 2013, at Diamond Willow in Cloquet, Minnesota.
Ruth was born on August 28, 1917 to Swedish immigrants Ernst Arvid and Anna Julia (Ohlson) Hermanson in little copper mining town Ray, Arizona. She was the middle child of three sisters, Esther Julia (oldest) and Anne Katherine (youngest), both deceased.
She grew up in Munger, Minnesota where she walked two miles to attend a small one room country school.
She met her sweetheart George Eklund, at a dance in the Munger Town Hall.
They were married on October 7th, 1939. After 72 years of marriage, George passed away September 27, 2012 at the age of 97. Her greatest wish was to be a wife and mother. She lived her dream and was a loving and gracious wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Ruth devoted her life to George and their family. She spent many happy times with her husband fishing, camping and traveling. She lived through the Great Depression and truly appreciated her 95 years of life with family and friends.
Ruth was a long time member of the Proctor Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star where she was the star point of "Ruth". She was an officer and member of Lady Fireman, a member of the Solvay Senior Citizens and the Swede Finn Historical Group.
She loved bowling, knitting, crossword puzzles, and playing cards. Ruth was a member of the cribbage club. She thoroughly enjoyed planning trips and traveling with her husband. They visited nearly every state in the United States, including traveling over the Alcan Highway three times to visit family in Alaska and overseas trips to Sweden, Norway and Finland.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father; husband, George Eklund; her two sisters, Esther Gulbranson and Anne Boogroff; brother-in-law, Gilbert Gulbranson; sister-in-law Emma Carlson; and nephew, Pastor Daryl O. Carlson.
Ruth is survived by her son, Gary (Sharon) Eklund of Victoria, Minn; daughter,
Bonnie (Walter) Novak of Layton, Utah; four grandchildren, Teri (David) Saxon of
Woodland Park, Colo., Kevin Eklund of Carver, Minn., Erich (Heidi) Novak of San
Ramon, Calif., and Kirsten (Donald) Basile of Salt Lake City, Utah; nine great-grandchildren; nieces, Karen (Ken) Mallow of Munger Minn. and Beth Anne (Roland)
Gonzalez of Irvine, Calif.; nephew Jarl (Cathy) Carlson; brother in law, Alex Boogroff of Irvine, Calif.; cousins and extended family.
We are blessed with many family members and special friends who loved mom and showered her with many calls and visits. The family also extends its special thanks to Cathy and Jerry Carlson, Karen Mallow, Pastors Lynn Kern and Daryl O. Carlson (deceased) and the Diamond Willow staff of Cloquet for their unconditional love and support of mom. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 21, 2013 at 12:00 PM at Pine Hill
Lutheran Church near the intersection of the Midway Road and Hwy I-35. Visitation one hour prior to service at the Church. Entombment in Sunrise Memorial Park.
To leave a memory of Ruth or words of support please visit our website at www.bellbrothersfuneralhome.com.
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