Ruth E. Christensen

Ruth E. Christensen, age 96, Wilmot, SD, passed away Sunday, November 24, 2019, at the Milbank Area Hospital Avera in Milbank, SD.

Funeral Services will be Saturday, November 30, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Wilmot with Rev. Tim Koch officiating. Music will be provided by organist Joyce Hanson.

Burial will be in the Wilmot City Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be the Benet Place staff in Watertown and the Avantara staff in Milbank. Active pallbearers will be Tim Rice, Brian Rice, Alan Lekness, Randy Lekness, Ronnie Bucklin, and Keith Enstad.

Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the church and continue Saturday morning one hour prior to the service.

Ruth Elnora was born May 30, 1923, to H. Theodore and Hilma (Simonson) Tostenson at home in rural Peever, SD. She only weighed three pounds at birth and Hilma kept her warm in a shoebox resting on the oven door. She was a miracle baby in 1923 to survive and live to be 96 ½ years old. Ruth was confirmed in the Lutheran faith along with 24 other confirmands. She completed her eighth-grade education and helped herd sheep and cattle for her dad. She became a wonderful mother, baker, and homemaker.

Ruth married Willy Christensen on September 13, 1944, and they lived on the home farm near Peever. They had four children: Gary, Fay (Gary Overberg), Linda (Brian Lowe), and Ray. Willy suddenly died in 1959 after only 15 years of marriage. Ruth was a widow at age 36 and managed to raise her children by working many jobs. She was the Peever School cook for four years and was a waitress and baker at the Wilmot Café. Ruth also cleaned houses and was employed at the Big Stone Corn Factory and later the Dakotah Sewing Center in Wilmot. She retired at age 66.

Ruth loved to play cards and taught all her grandchildren how to play cards and games. She enjoyed baking cinnamon rolls and pies and cakes, doing word search puzzles and reading her Bible.

Ruth is survived by her sons, Gary and Ray; daughter, Fay Overberg; and son-in-law, Brian Lowe all of Wilmot; five grandchildren, Jacquelyn Overberg, Brock Overberg, Christie (Duane) Sutherland, Jared (Maxi) Lowe, and Matthew (Missica) Lowe; four great-grandchildren, Carter and Alyssa Sutherland and Jude and Iva Lowe; and two step grandsons, Tyler Ruby and Kaden Wellnitz.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Willy; daughter, Linda; son-in-law, Gary Overberg; and eleven brothers and sisters.