Ruth Marie Halek

Ruth Marie Halek was born on May 14, 1918, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth (Lemm) Netkow. Ruth was baptized as an infant on June 2, 1918, at the Church of St. Boniface in Minneapolis. Her Godparents were John Lemm and Rose Loehrer. She was later confirmed in her faith as a youth at Immaculate Conception Church in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Ruth received her elementary education at Silver Lake School in Columbia Heights and was a graduate of the Columbia Heights High School Class of 1936. She furthered her education by attending Burroughs Business School in Minneapolis. Ruth held employment at Buttrey's in downtown Minneapolis as a bookkeeper and later worked at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. On January 3, 1942, Ruth was united in marriage to Stanley Halek at Immaculate Conception Church in Columbia Heights. This marriage was blessed with four daughters. Ruth and Stan resided in Columbia Heights for 37 years. In 1984, they moved to Mesa, Arizona, but spent summers in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Ruth and Stan moved to Hutchinson in 1998, and became residents of Prince of Peace Retirement Living. They shared 60 years of marriage, until Stan passed away on February 27, 2002. In addition to being a loving homemaker and mother, Ruth worked as a secretary at Mercury Tool & Engineering in Columbia Heights, which was owned by her sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Frank Breen. While living in Columbia Heights, Ruth attended Immaculate Conception Church where she was active in the Society of St. Theresa, the Circle and was a member of the church choir for many years. After moving to Hutchinson, she attended St. Anastasia Catholic Church. Ruth enjoyed sewing and made most of the clothing for herself and her daughters, including coats, hats and snowpants. She also enjoyed crocheting, embroidery, and making craft projects and made many baby afghans and Christmas decorations. She was always willing to play cards and organized a "Hand and Foot" group at Prince of Peace. Ruth loved any social gathering and family reunions. She also organized a monthly pot luck supper at Prince of Peace. Ruth had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. She met her husband, Stan while acting in a community workshop play in1937. Ruth had a positive, happy outlook on life; when her children were small, she would wake them up in the morning saying "Good Morning Merry Sunshine!" She always tried to make the best out of every situation and always had a smile or kind word for those she met. When Ruth needed assistance with her daily care, she became a resident of The Oaks in Hutchinson in March of 2010. She moved to Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson on February 22, 2012, and passed away there on Sunday, March 11, 2012, at the age of 93 years. She will be dearly missed. Ruth is survived by her: Daughters, Elizabeth Kennedy and her husband, Robert of Altus, OK, Debra DeMenge and her husband, Robert of McGregor, MN, Rose Bolduc and her husband, Paul of Hutchinson, MN, Robyn Erickson of Hutchinson, MN; Grandchildren, Pauline Varley and her husband, Tom, Roxanne Zoet and her husband, Dean, Robert Kennedy, Joe Kennedy, Jessica Hooper and her husband, Jeff, Stephanie Schneller and her husband, Troy, Stanley Gurek, Billie Jo DeMenge and her fiancé, Ben Blow, Benjamin Bornstein and his wife, Pauline Hwang, Nathaniel Bornstein and his wife, Rebecca, Sarah Bornstein and her fiancé, Joshua Granstrom, Andy Erickson and Ryan Erickson; Great Grandchildren, Richie Perez, Josh Perez, Alyssa Chloros, Nicky Chloros, Jennifer Kennedy, Tiffany Kennedy, Kymberlie Kennedy, Donovan Kennedy, Jake Kennedy, Michael Varley, Brian Varley, Nick Hooper, Wyatt Hooper, Hannah Hooper, Waylon Hooper, Aiden Erickson, Tryceton Erickson, Talia Stark, and Lucas Bornstein; Son-In-Law, Charles Bornstein of Sun City, AZ; Sisters-In-Law, Sunny Netko of Milaca, MN, Dorothy Netkow of Mesa, AZ, Margaret Halek of Brooklyn Center, MN, Yvonne Halek of Eden Prairie, MN; Brother-In-Law, George Halek of Cedar Rapids, IA; Nieces, Nephews, many other relatives and friends. Ruth is preceded in death by her Parents, Anthony and Elizabeth Netkow; Husband, Stanley Halek; Siblings; Harold Netkow and his wife, Trudy; Sylvia Keating and her husband, Bill; Ray Netkow, Betty Breen and her husband, Frank and Robert Netko; Sisters and Brothers-In-Law, Mary Donatelle and her husband, Leo, Larry Halek, and John Halek. The family would like to thank the staff of The Oaks Memory Care for taking such good care of Ruth in the last year, Mary and Michelle of Connectcare Hospice for helping us through the process, and her special angels, Coletta Wortz, Ben Jenum, Patti Cogley and Bobbi Ludewig for their loving prayers and songs in her final days.