Ruth Falksen, 81, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 18, 2005

The funeral service for Ruth Eleanor Falksen, of ElIendale, will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church, Ellendale. The Rev. Arne Halbakken will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 8

p.m. Tuesday at Bonnorap Funeral Service, Ellendale, and one hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the donor’s choice.

Ruth died Saturday, July 16, 2005 at St. John’s Lutheran Home. She was 8l years old.

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She was born to Katherine and Peter A. Petersen on Sept. 4, 1923, in rural White River, S.D. Her family resided in South Dakota until 1937, when they moved to Albert Lea. Ruth graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1942, and attended Dana College, Blair, Neb., for one year.

She married Bernard P. Falksen on Nov. 21, 1943, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. During their life, Ruth and Bernard farmed north of Albert Lea, northwest of Glenville, and west of Ellendale.

Ruth’s life centered around her family and her church. She served as a Sunday School and Wednesday School teacher, was very active with the Church Women and the quilting group, and she served many years on the Southeastern Minnesota District Women Board. Ruth and Bernard were involved as Mission Builders for four years.

Her community involvement included volunteer work for the Blood Drive, serving as a 4-H leader and working as reporter for the Ellendale Eagle. For many years Ruth’s voiee could be heard giving the Ellendale News for KRFO Radio three times a week.

Ruth and Bernard lovingly raised three sons and three daughters, as well as one foster girl and three foster boys. Her activities included sewing, upholstery work, crocheting, gardening, canning, and raising poultry.

Ruth is survived by her loving husband of 61 years, Bernard of Ellendale; sons: David and wife Marilyn of Arlington, Va., Bruce and wife Lois of Austin, and Jerome and wife Irene of

St Paul; daughters: Rita and husband Reed Riskedahl of Marshalltown, Iowa, Eleanor and husband Rod Koester of Mason City, Iowa, and Elizabeth and husband Merle Brockhoff of Kansas City, Mo. Grandchildren include: Geoffrey Falksen (David), Anne Tjepkema and Timothy Falksen (Bruce), Katherine, Jessica and Emily Falksen (Jerome), Laura. and Lynn Riskedahl (Rita), Benjamin and Justin Koester (Eleanor), Carl Nyssa Brockhoff (Elizabeth); and five great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her siblings: Margaret (Don) Breese, Evelyn Bousfield, Edwin (Vera) Petersen, Clarence (Delona) Petersen, Lettie Anderson, Erna (Bob) Berthlesen, Kenneth (Liz) Petersen, Jane (Carl) Nelson, as well as nurnerous nieces, nephews

and friends,

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; nephews: Douglas Petersen and Donald T. Breese; and brothers-in-law: Everett Bousfield and Lyle Anderson.