Ruth Marie Hana

Ruth, age 94, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on October 13, 2024. She was survived by Stan (Michele) Zurawski, best friend Betty Zurawski, Krista Zurawski, Mary Baker, Susan Trojan. Great nieces Kim Martin, Diane Laubenstein and Tanya Hanna. She was preceded in death by Jerry Boldt and other relatives and friends.
Ruth was well known, a local celebrity, for her can collections. She went viral on social media after collecting 2.5 million cans/tabs and donating the proceeds to charity. She was a kind, generous soul, and a devoted Catholic. She went on a religious pilgrimage to see Fatima and Lourdes and visited Rome during her travels. Ruth was a lover of old movies and actresses and would sit and watch Turner Movie Channel for hours. She was always happy and got the most joy from giving and helping others.
Ruth lived a long life. She grew up in an orphanage and dispite all the hardships she persevered. She was a gifted, talented and kind young lady who never gave up. In her autobiography she recounts all the experiences that made her who she was. She graduated from Messmer High School on June 10, 1949, at which she was offered a job at City Bank &Trust Co. To show her gratitude to the St. Rose Orphanage, where she grew up, one year out of her bonus from the bank, she took a "brand new $100 bill in a money envelope and presented it to Sister Alice, Mother Superior". Ruth went through many job posts throughout her life until she got a perfect fit working as a Milwaukee County Clerk 1, and this is where she started her aluminum can mission for charities where she donated the money to the American Red Cross. She went on the establish several other charities including the Variety Club of Wisconsin and the Amazing Grace Fund after which she started collecting cans to help families who had children with diseases, and eventually the American Cancer Sociey. To understand the scope of her dedication to collecting cans, from 1987-2012 she collected 1 million cans and collected $71,027.12 for 23 charities.
She will be greatly missed by many. A visitation will be held on October 29, 2024 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 1755 N Calhoun Rd. Brookfield, WI, from 9am-11am, followed by a Mass Of Christian Burial at 11am, and will be laid to rest at the Wisconsin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Ronald McDonald House or St. John Vianney Catholic Church.