Ruth A. Kerger

Ruth A. Kerger

Ruth A. Kerger, age 88, passed away surrounded by her family on December 18th, 2024.

She leaves behind four children, Rebecca (Robert) Nowlin, Angelique Kerger, Mathias "Duff" Kerger, and Christina (Dan) Hynes; also dearest grandchildren, Charlie, Liam and Finn Hynes. Also surviving are sisters and brothers-in-law, Anita (Bob) McCord of Danbury, CT, Janet McDonald of Highland, Carol Sedlak of Hobart; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Louise and William Sedlak; husband, Mathias A. Kerger; brother, Bill Sedlak; brother-in-law, Bob McDonald; nieces, Karen McDonald and Michelle McCord Davis.

Ruth was a graduate of St. Joseph grade school in Hammond and Bishop Noll High School class of 1954. Before her marriage to her husband Matt, she held a variety of positions with General Mills, Indiana Bell Telephone Company and secretary to the City Judge of Hammond. After marriage, she laughingly called herself a "Professional Home Executive" and worked closely with her husband, Matt for 52 years in his many business and political ventures.

Ruth was passionate about being active in her community and her church. She was a past member of the Junior Association of St. Margaret Hospital, the Carmelite Home for Boys and was currently a member of the St. Mary Medical Junior Guild and Friends of Hospice. Over many decades, she served as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector and sang with the parish choir. Some of her fondest memories were singing in Rome with the Queen of All Saints choir of Michigan City, IN and also singing with the Choraleers in Ft. Myers, Florida where she and her husband vacationed.

Ruth had so many loves in her life. She loved singing, she loved needlepointing, she loved Notre Dame Football, she loved the Hallmark Channel, and she loved the occasional glass of Chardonnay. But Ruth's greatest love was being a mother and grandmother. She was a rock for all of her children, providing comfort and advice through all of life's challenges, and did so with unending compassion. She was a doting grandmother, and relished watching her grandsons grow up and delighting in all the parts of their lives. She was their number one fan and loudest cheerleader, travelling to countless baseball, basketball, and football games. For her family, she loved nothing more than those moments when we all got to be together.

Ruth was all love and goodness. Her family and friends felt her love every single day in her many acts of kindness- her bright welcoming smile, her warm oversized embrace, her very special chocolate chip cookies and her daily prayers list where she literally prayed for each and every person who was dear to her. How lucky we were to be on her list and feel her prayers, rosaries and novenas coming right through to us. She had the greatest gift of making us all feel so treasured and loved.

A Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at KISH FUNERAL HOME, 10000 Calumet Avenue, Munster, IN from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M and on Monday, January 6, 2025 at St. Maria Goretti Church, 500 Northgate Drive, Dyer, IN from 12:30 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. followed by A Mass of Christian Burial that will be offered at 1:00 P.M. Interment will follow at Joseph/ St. John Cemetery, 1547 167th Street, Hammond, IN.