Ruth Rutledge, age 71 of River Falls died June 21st of 2024, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN. Ruth was born one of three children to Walter and Grace (Oppert) Young. She attended Miller and Pine River Elementary schools prior to graduating from Merrill High School. She would further her education at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls graduating with a bachelor’s of science degree in 1974.

Ruth worked for the State of Minnesota Department of Public Health in their Infectious Disease Division. She was an extremely dedicated employee of their laboratory for 48 years. From 1976 to the present, Ruth gave her endless dedication, amazing patience, attention to detail, and genuine positivity to the Operations Specimen Receiving Unit, shaping what it is today. Ruth greeted you with a smile and was a teacher at heart; mentoring the younger new employees. Ruth was active and eager within the laboratory, testing organisms and new technology, as well as creating helpful workflow processes. She was respected by her peers for being the subject matter expert for every specimen they examined.

On November 27, 1993, Ruth was wed to James W. Rutledge at the Assembly of God Church in River Falls, WI. She was an active member for over 40 years. Ruth had strong faith in Christ and took great pleasure in being an outreach teacher for her church. She loved to share her faith. Her greatest joy came from watching the youth embrace their faith. Ruth appreciated God’s creations and the beauty of the world we live in. She and Jim enjoyed camping at national and state parks. Ruth did not require fancy nor formal. She was known to pitch a tent pretty much anywhere. Ruth and Jim never had children of their own, so when her nieces and nephews were over, it always brought a big smile to her face. Holidays brought so much joy to see her family and she made sure the Christmas stockings were filled to the brim with goodies. She was competitively kind as she loved playing card and board games; especially when she could win. She loved to keep her flower beds looking beautiful. She had a green thumb, that went all the way to her elbow. She enjoyed bringing plant cuttings to share with her co-workers at company gatherings. She had a special place in her heart for her cats.

Ruth is survived by her sisters Emily Young and Edna (Errol) Ahlers; nephews Erich (Melisa) Ahlers, Elroy (Rhea) Ahlers, and nieces Eileen Ahlers, and Ellen (Brit) Mann; great nephew Elijah, and great nieces Meredith, Ella, Lydia, Ottilia, and Flora as well as; the extended Rutledge family members. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Jim.

Memorial services for Ruth Rutledge will be 10AM, Saturday, July 6th 2024 at The Journey Church, 605 Valley View Drive in River Falls, WI. A meal and time for fellowship will immediately follow the memorial service. Interment will be with her husband James in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.

The family requests, In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be given to Journey Church of River Falls. Cremation and memorial services entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of River Falls.