Obit: Severson, Ruth Elaine (1930 - 2006)

Contact:  Shari Hahn

Surnames: Severson, Garbisch, Helm, Reich, Grottke, Larsen

----Sources: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Sept 9, 2006

Severson, Ruth Elaine (15 March 1930 - 1 Sept. 2006)

Ruth E. Severson

MANAWA

Ruth Severson, age 76, of Ogdensburg died Friday, Sept. 1, 2006, at Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca.

The funeral service for Ruth was held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Manawa, with the Rev. H. William Jordan and the Rev. Carl Luedtke officiating. Music was provided by Allen Keup and the congregation.

Interment was in Our Savior Lutheran Cemetery, Iola.

Friends called from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2005, at the Cline-Hanson-Dahlke Funeral Home in Manawa and from noon until service time Wednesday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran School.

Ruth Elaine Garbisch was born on March 15, 1930, in Granton, daughter of the late Bernard and Bertha (Helm) Garbisch. She attended the Romadka School in the town of York and in 1948 graduated from Loyal High School. She received a three-year teaching certificate from Concordia College in River Forest, Ill., and taught Lutheran elementary schools in Forestville, Granton and Manawa.

Ruth was united in marriage to George Severson, of Ogdensburg, on July 31, 1977, in Zion Lutheran Church in Granton. They lived on the Severson family farm north of Ogdensburg in the town of St. Lawrence, Waupaca County. After retiring from teaching, Ruth remained active in the St. Paul's Ladies Aid and as organist at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Manawa, and Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Iola for many years. She also was organist for services held at the Iola Nursing Home. Later she continued as an organist substitute and accompanied the choir and soloists. She also taught piano to a number of local school children. Ruth enjoyed gardening and house plants and made the best pies.

She is survived by her husband, George; a brother, Rueben Garbisch, Granton; brother-in-law, Leland Reich, Granton; sister-in-law, Wanda (Grottke) Garbisch, Stevens Point; brother and sister-in-law, Royce and Dorothy Larsen, Neillsville; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, including several pastors and their families who she worked with, and several of her Lutheran school students and their families.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Harold and Bernard Garbisch; and a sister, Elenora (Leland) Reich.

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