Ruth Elaine Oren

Ruth Elaine Oren, age 78, died on March 12, 2026, in St. George, Utah, after a brief but serious illness. She was born to Selmer Olaus Oren and Mildred Elaine (Olson) Oren on October 12,1947, in Stoughton, Wisconsin, weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces. She grew up on the family farm in Stoughton and graduated from Stoughton High School in 1965. She later attended Madison General School of Nursing in Madison, Wisconsin, graduating in 1970.

She married her partner of 23 years, Beverly Feltz, on May 2, 2015, in Madison, Wisconsin.They lived in Madison until their recent move to St. George, Utah. Ruth was ready to leave behind the snow, sub-zero temperatures, and driving on icy roads. She loved seeing the mountains during the day and the stars at night.

Ruth lived a full and meaningful life. After graduating from nursing school, she joined theWisconsin National Guard Army Reserves in 1973. She served at the 13th Evacuation Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Ruth worked as a nurse there and eventually earned the rank of Major in 1984. An accident later ended her Army career in 1997. She was honorably discharged after 13 years of service to her country, something she considered one of her proudest achievements.

Ruth volunteered for numerous Red Cross blood drives in Madison and Green Bay, Wisconsin. She was also an EMT for Ryan Brothers and served as a hot air balloon crew member as an observer and landing spot driver in Wisconsin and Iowa. She loved hot air balloons for the rest of her life.

Ruth spent 55 years in nursing and touched the lives of thousands of people during her career. She wore many hats, working in NICU, surgical float, jail and detox nursing, and as an Army nurse. She also worked in home health care and eventually became a hospice nurse, a role she held for nearly 20 years. Hospice nursing was her favorite field, and she found it deeply rewarding. Her patients and their families loved her.

She officially retired from nursing in January 2026 but continued volunteering in hospice until her death. Ruth often stopped at car accidents to render aid, always living the oath she had taken as a nurse. She truly was a Good Samaritan. Helping people was her life, and it gave her great joy all the way to the end.

Ruth also loved Wisconsin sports, especially football. She was a loyal fan of the Green BayPackers and, of course, the Milwaukee Brewers. She cheered for them through good seasons, bad seasons, and every heart-stopping game.

One of her newer passions was becoming a Master Gardener volunteer. She was proud of that accomplishment and of being a member of RGMGA, where she worked with patients in the healing garden at the VA Hospital in Madison. Teaching others about gardening and caring for the earth meant a great deal to her. Being a Master Gardener allowed her to continue helping people while nurturing the natural world she loved.

Ruth loved traveling throughout the United States on yearly trips back to Madison, Wisconsin. She enjoyed museums, ghost towns, zoos, and anything historical. One favorite trip included visiting Winslow, Arizona, where she enjoyed “standing on the corner.” She loved the history and beauty of her home country.

She also loved picnics, bonfires, cookouts, camping, kayaking, and spending time outdoors. Her musical favorites included Mary Chapin Carpenter, Stevie Nicks, and Fleetwood Mac, though she enjoyed many kinds of music. She loved spending time with and watching her grandsons grow, and she adored her “fur babies.”

Ruth enjoyed mystery novels and medical dramas on television. She loved playing Euchre and would gladly teach anyone who didn’t know how to play. She enjoyed books by JamesPatterson and C.J. Box. Recently, she had begun taking ukulele lessons.

Music, like nursing, was in her blood. Ruth owned a fiddle, several guitars, a lute, and a ukulele.At one time she had five guitars and four fiddles or violins, along with a banjo and other instruments. She always regretted that she never learned to play the fiddle as well as her father, Selmer. As she often said, music was in her soul.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Selmer and Millie Oren. She is survived by her wife, Beverly Feltz of St. George, Utah; her stepdaughter Jennifer Milkowski (Ted) of Pardeeville, Wisconsin; her grandsons Vaughn Milkowski, age 19, and Eriq Milkowski, age 14, also of Pardeeville. Her grandsons were the light and joy of her life.

She is also survived by her close friend Laila Crowe of Madison, Wisconsin; her special cousin Kent Oren; her very special cousin and mentor Estelle Walker; and many other cousins and family members on the Oren and Walker/Olson sides of the family.

A memorial service will be held in St. George, Utah, in the coming weeks, with a larger celebration of her life planned later in Stoughton, Wisconsin. She will be interred next to her parents at Riverside Cemetery in Stoughton. 

Her cousin Sara Downie, also a nurse, shared words that perfectly describe Ruth: “Ruth was very much a beloved member of our family. She will be greatly missed. She had a rare wit and a joy for life that was infectious, and a deep compassion felt by everyone who knew her. May you, Ruth, be at peace knowing you are deeply loved, now and forever."

Ruth’s life’s work and greatest joy was helping others in every way she could. She was an incredible person to know and love and was deeply respected by everyone whose life she touched. 

Until we meet again—your tour of duty has ended, Major. Thank you for your service. We salute you. And Ruth, the nurse, is now off duty forever. Enjoy being reunited with family and your beloved fur babies in heaven. May you rest in peace and save a place for us until we meet again.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to her GoFundMe page to help bring Ruth home and celebrate her life with family and friends in Wisconsin. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing the link with others who knew and loved Ruth.

GoFundMe link: https://gofund.me/4a9991e15