Ruth Wurtz

Ruth Wurtz, 98, Minot and formerly of rural Ryder, died peacefully on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 in a Minot hospital from a stroke sustained on December 27, 2024.
Ruth Corrine (Arneson) Wurtz was born on Christmas Eve of 1926 near Ryder, ND to Edwin and Christma Arneson. Her father passed away when Ruth was one and a half years old, so she was raised by her mother and her grandparents, Andrew and Regina Larson. Her mother was later remarried to Erwin Janz.
Ruth attended all eight years of grade school at Hiddenwood Country School #2 before moving to Ryder to live with her grandparents and attend high school. She graduated from Ryder High School in 1944.
After graduation, Ruth moved to Billings, Montana where she worked as a receptionist for a refining plant located in Laurel, Montana. She missed her family and friends so her next move was back to Minot where she worked as a bookkeeper for the Minot Flour Mill.
Ruth and Everett Wurtz were married on October 2, 1949 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Ryder, ND. They made their home on the family farm southwest of Ryder where they raised livestock, crops, and five kids.
In their retirement years, Ruth and Everett traveled many miles in their motor home before purchasing a home in Donna, Texas. They spent winters in Texas before purchasing a home in Minot after Everett suffered a stroke. He passed away on July 23, 2002.
Ruth continued to divide her time between her farm home and her Minot condo before entering Somerset Assisted Living- Minot in 2020.
Ruth was a lifetime and active member of St. John's Lutheran Church – Ryder where she was baptized, married and will be memorialized. She was well known for her embroidered dish towels.
Ruth is survived by her children: Douglas (Linda) Wurtz of Bismarck, Denise (Harvey) Johnson of Minot, E. Gordon (Mary) Wurtz of Thompson, Gayle (Arlan) Hofland of Dickinson and Bryan (Penney) Wurtz of Makoti; ten grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; brother: David Janz of Dickinson and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters: Edna (Cliff) Fredrick and Myrle (Rudy) Evensvold and sister-in-law: Deborah Janz.
A Memorial Service will be held in the spring at St. John's Lutheran Church – Ryder, ND.
Interment will be in the East Community Cemetery – rural Plaza, ND.