Ruth E. Berryman

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, at age 78, Ruth (Heikkala) Berryman passed away with her family by her side after a final bout with lung cancer.

Ruth was born on July 29, 1947, in Ishpeming, Michigan, as the second youngest child (of five) to Reino and Helen Heikkala. She grew up in the tiny saw mill town of Trout Creek, a proud Yooper with her Finnish heritage as a formative element of her childhood - going to her Finnish-speaking grandmother's sauna each week and learning to make pasties. Ruth loved all of her siblings, and was especially close to her sister, Irene, with whom she shared a daily morning phone call for decades. She cherished her extended family, and shared great memories of visits with them in Trout Creek and beyond. Some of Ruth's nieces and nephews lovingly referred to her as their Aunt "Oof".

Ruth graduated from Trout Creek High School in 1965 as a part of a small class of fourteen people. After graduation, she moved to Marquette, Michigan, where she worked in the circulations department at the Mining Journal newspaper. Marquette was also where she met Bob Berryman, who she would marry in 1969.

After their wedding, Ruth and Bob moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Ruth worked at Olejniczak Law Firm, and, outside of work, she and Bob made many great friends and enjoyed supporting the Green Bay Packers. Their children, Tracy, Chad, and Terri, were all born while the family lived in Green Bay. In 1981, shortly after their youngest daughter was born, Ruth and Bob moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where they lived until their passing. While working as a bookkeeper for Precision Building and a few of the Subway restaurants in Fond du Lac, Ruth enjoyed building relationships with her coworkers, happily offering a listening ear and life advice.

Ruth had a great sense of humor and freely shared her infectious laugh with friends and acquaintances, loving to carry on a joke as a means of connection. She had neat cursive handwriting, made delicious snickerdoodle cookies, packed bag lunches (labeled with their first name and last initial) for her children and Bob each day, and always had the ironing board set up in the kitchen. She had a mischievous streak as a young person and was spunky through her final days. Her children can thank her for sharing that trait with all of them. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchild who all endlessly amused her at gatherings and Friday family nights.

Ruth was a charter member of Ascension Lutheran Church and served as their financial secretary for many years, first as a volunteer and eventually as part-time employee. Ruth loved Ascension and was active in church activities throughout the years. Watching online broadcasts of the service brought her peace and comfort in the last months as her health rapidly declined and dementia became increasingly pervasive.

Ruth spent the final months of her life at Tower View Assisted Living, where she received incredible loving care and kept the girls who work there on their toes. Ruth's family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff for providing a fun, loving and safe environment that went beyond what they could have ever expected.

Ruth is survived by her children Tracy Mueller (James), Chad Berryman, and Terri Rosen (David), her siblings Irene Berandt and Paul Heikkala, her grandchildren Kaitlyn Keizer (Jordan), Zachary Mueller (fiancé Joanna), Allison Berryman, Preston Berryman, Grayson Rosen, Gryffin Rosen, great-granddaughter Holland Ruth Keizer, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Berryman, parents Reino and Helen Heikkala, stepmother Naima Heikkala, and her sisters Audrey Johnson and Mary Kangas.

The visitation and service will be held on Saturday October 11 from 9:30-10:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.. respectively at Ascension Lutheran Church, Fond du Lac, WI. A reception with refreshments will follow the service.