Ruth was born November 28, 1931 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to John and Fannie Newton. She attended Tahlequah schools. On November 28, 1949 she married Earl Zafft in Tracy, Minnesota. They lived in many states and in September, 1969 settled on a farm near Canton where they raised crops and had a small dairy herd. Ruth moved into Canton in 1987. Earl passed away in 2007. She was a member of the Henrytown Lutheran Church and The Ruth Circle. She enjoyed being with her nine children, all her grandchildren, milking cows while on the farm, having her friends at her house for coffee and birthday club, going to the casinos, and reading true murder novels. Ruth was proud of her Native American Heritage and her great grandmother was a survivor of the Trail of Tears from Georgia to Oklahoma in 1838.
Ruth passed away Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at Green Lea Senior Living in Mabel, Minnesota at the age of 85.
Ruth is survived by eight sons Zeke of Canton, Russell (Melayne) of Bremerton, Washington, Riley “Duane” (Janet) of Winona, Minnesota, John (Lavonne) of Minot, North Dakota, Vernon (Kim Alderman) of Canton, Andrew “Jay” (Dina) of Rochester, Joe (Kari) of Waseca, Minnesota, and Anthony “Tony” of Alta Vista, Iowa; a daughter Suezen (Keith) Glaser of Alta Vista, Iowa; eighteen grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren; one step-great grandchild; two great great grandchildren; two sister-in-law’s Cretta Newton of Tahlequah, and Charlotte Zafft of Esteline South Dakota; and a brother-in-law Dennis Zafft of Houston, Texas. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Earl; two grandsons Isaac Zafft and Michael Glaser; five brothers Allen, Joseph, Ross, Riley, and Bill; and one sister Betty Heiss.
Memorial services will be 11 AM Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at the Henrytown Lutheran Church with Rev. Dean Safe officiating. Visitation will be 4 – 7 PM Monday April 24 at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel and one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials are preferred to the Henrytown Lutheran Church. |
