Ruth E. (Benson) THOMPSON LEIN

LEIN, BENSON, JOHNSON, MEYER, LARSON, THOMPSON, ESPE, LARSON-THOMPSON, DAVIS, DOW, FELDE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/2/2007 at 19:28:34

Mason City Globe Gazette
October 5, 1996

Ruth E. Lein, 89, of Belmond, died Thursday (Oct. 3, 1996) at the Belmond Community Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Lowell Halvorson officiating. Burial will be in St. Olaf Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Tenold Funeral Home, and one hour prior to services at the church.

Ruth E. (Benson) Lein was born to Truman and Tillie (Johnson) Benson on Thursday, July 25, 1907, in Belmond. She was baptized at St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Ruth attended grade schools in Minneapolis, Minn.; Elliott, Ill., and Callender. She graduated from high school at McCallsburg. After high school, she attended Waldorf College in Forest City. She also attended summer school at Boulder, Colo., and Ames. Ruth received her teaching degree and taught school for eight years. Ruth married Gerhard Thompson on Nov. 28, 1935. To this marriage, two sons were born, Tedmar Jay and Paul Jerome. Gerhard died on Nov. 6, 1964. After Gerhard's death, Ruth lived in Northfield, Minn., for three years. She was head resident of a women's dormitory at St. Olaf College. She married Oscar Lein on June 1, 1968, and she resided in Clear Lake for seven years. Oscar died on May 31, 1973. Ruth moved back to Belmond in 1975. Ruth died peacefully and free from pain with her family at her side at the Belmond Community Hospital on Thursday, Oct. 3, 1996. Ruth had a strong faith and was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church for many years and active in many church activities. She loved music, quilting, travel, her family and many friends.

Ruth is survived by her son, Paul Thompson of Madison, Wis.; daughters-in-law, Elena Meyer of Madison, Wis., and Kathryn Larson-Thompson of Troy, Mich., stepdaughter, Marcene Davis of Port Angeles, Wash.; four grandchildren, Nicole Thompson, Erica Dow, Eric Thompson and Natalia Thompson; four stepgrandsons, Brent Davis, Roger Espe, Steve Espe and Mitch Espe; and one brother, Truman Benson of Branson, Mo. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Gerhard Thompson and Oscar Lein; her son, Tedmar Thompson; and two sisters, Rachel Benson and Marcella Felde.