Ruth L. (Schmidt) SUNTKEN SMITH

SCHMIDT, SUNTKEN, SMITH, GROEN, PRUISMAN, ORESKOVICH, BONAM, SHELBURNE, TAYLOR, ALBRECHT, EVANHOFF, LARSON, STATLANDER, STADTLANDER, JOHNSON, FAABORG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/30/2010 at 12:16:24

December 11, 1998
Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette

January 23, 1922 -- December 9, 1998

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Ruth L. Smith, 76, of La Crosse, formerly of Meservey, Iowa, died Wednesday (Dec. 9, 1998) at the Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, La Crosse, with the Rev. Roger Hjelle officiating. Visitation will be held from 6 p.m. until time of services. Funeral services will also be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, 1998, at the First Reformed Church, in Meservey, with the Rev. Rodney Meester officiating. Burial will be in the Meservey Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. Saturday until time of services on Saturday at the church.

She was born on the family farm in Alexander, Iowa, to Dan R. and Tena (Groen) Schmidt. Ruth grew up on a farm between Meservey and Alexander.She married Onno J. Suntken in June of 1940 and they had four children. Ruth moved to La Crosse in 1966. She married Harold Smith in September of 1967. She lived in La Crosse until the time of her death. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and family gatherings.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Harold; a daughter, Marlys Pruisman and her husband, Dean, of Mason City, Iowa; a son, Dennis L. Suntken and his wife, Sharon, of La Crosse; a son, Delbert Suntken and his wife, Kay, of Taylorsville, Ky.; and a daughter, Audrey Oreskovich and her husband, Randy, of La Crosse; eight grandchildren, Marilyn Pruisman, Lyle Pruisman, Dan Pruisman, Sara Bonam, Michael Bonam, Lynda Gayle Shelburne, Sherry Taylor and Brandon Oreskovich; and 16 great-grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by three stepdaughters, Carol Jean (Gary) Albrecht, of Rushford, Minn., Sharon (John) Evanhoff, of Reno, Nev., Kathy (Leonard) Larson, of Houston, Minn.; nine step grandchildren; three sisters, Phyllis (Herman) Statlander, of Meservey, Iowa, Wilma (Roman) Johnson, of Alexander and Shirley (Jack) Faaborg, of Meservey; two sisters-in-law, Caroline Schmidt and Elaine Schmidt, both of Belmond; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Onno; two brothers, Leonard and Clarence; and an infant sister, Bernice; and a stepson and his wife, Gary and Sharon Smith.