Ruth Margareta Koski

Ruth Margareta (Holmio) Koski

Ruth Margareta (Holmio) Koski, age 97 of Virginia, died Thursday, October 16, 2025 at the Virginia Care Center.

She was born March 7, 1928, the daughter of Dr. Armas K.E. and Lydia (Mackey) Holmio, in Turku, Finland. She graduated from Barnstable High School in Hyannis, MA, attended Suomi College, and graduated from Michigan Tech University with a BS in Medical Technology. She married Robert Eddie Koski in Hancock, MI on June 13, 1953.

Ruth lived in Turku, Finland, Cape Cod, MA, Menlo Park, CA, Quincy, MA, Hancock, MI, Duluth, MN, Cedarville, MI, and Virginia, MN. She was a bacteriologist for the MI Dept. of Health and worked as a Medical Technologist at the VRMC. She was very active in many clubs and organizations including PEO Chapter AZ, Arrowhead Concert Assoc., Range Fiber Art Guild often demonstrating at the MN Discovery Center, Meals-a-moving, AAUW, Mont Sabi Ski club, Hospital Auxiliary, and was a Southway Girl Scout Neighborhood Chariman. Ruth was an active member at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, singing in the choir, serving home communion, baking communion bread, sewing quilts, and praying for others through the prayer chain. She loved to hunt, fish, spin, weave, sew, garden, and pick berries. She enjoyed FinnFest, Laskiainen, the Wirtanen farm, and the Lac La Belle cabin. Above all, she loved her family, especially the little ones.

Ruth is survived by her children: Gail (Bill) Drake of Petroskey, MI, David Koski of Britt, and Matthew Koski of Virginia; Grandchildren: Elliott and Michael (Allison) Drake, Robert and Tatiana Koski, and Matti and Hunter Koski; Sister-in-law: Eldora Koski; the Koski-Lager clan; and extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Bob; Siblings: Judith Beckquist and Aarne Holmio; Niece: Barbara Beckquist; Daughter-in-law: Roberta Koski; Sister-in-law: Salome Holmio; and Brothers-in-law: William Beckquist and John Koski.

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the 11:00 funeral on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church in Virginia. Pastor Rebecca LeManager will officiate. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Virginia.

Memorials are preferred and may be directed to: Joyful Noise! music fund, the organ tuning fund, or the Somebody Cares fund, all at Gethsemane; or to ELCA World Hunger.

Family services provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia. To leave a remembrance online, see www.baumanfuneralhome.com.