Ruth Kessler

Van Handel Miller Kessler, Ruth Mary

Ruth Kessler, age 93, died on Saturday, September 28, 2013, at the Valley VNA Assisted Living in Neenah with her niece, Beth Seebert, by her side.

Ruth was born on September 26, 1920 to Frank and Gertrude (Schmidt) Van Handel in Appleton, WI. She lived in the historic Third Ward for much of her life, and took care of her mother until Gertrude's death.

Ruth was employed at Kimberly-Clark from 1942 until her retirement in 1977. She held executive secretarial positions, including one for John R. Kimberly.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, C. Jarvis Miller and Arthur J. Kessler.

Ruth's four siblings also preceded her in death: Catherine Witmer, Ralph Van Handel, Dorothy Spencer and Joan Sommerville. She is survived by her first cousin, Mickey Milbach, her sister-in-law, Alice Van Handel, and her brother-in-law, Frank (Spence) Spencer.

Ruth loved photography and carried a camera on her many adventures. She chronicled the family history with still photographs and home movies. Ruth was quite athletic and played softball, rode bicycles and loved to golf. She stopped playing golf when she was 80.

Aunt Ruth dearly loved her 19 nieces and nephews. The feeling was mutual. She provided all of us with precious memories of special events with her ever-present camera. We cherished the trips to the Milwaukee zoo, the Baraboo circus museum, Milwaukee Braves baseball games, Crystal River canoe trips and swimming at Two Rivers. When the relatives made their arduous cross-country drives for family reunions at Grandma's house, Ruth would show home movies and demonstrate why Wisconsin cookouts are the best.

Ruth's sense of adventure influenced all of the cousins. We learned from her the proper way to mature gracefully, while still having laughter and a hint of mischief in our everyday lives. The Witmer neighborhood children used to call her Aunt Ruth (and some of those long-grown children still do), as if they wished that she was their aunt too.

Aunt Ruth was a second Mom to the seven Witmer children in Appleton: Beth (John) Seebert, Mary (Don, deceased) Hook, John Witmer, Joan (Dan) Kessel, Joe (Mary) Witmer, Ruth (Steve) Warner and Steve (Ann) Witmer. The Van Handels, Bill (Becky) Van Handel, Karen (Tom) Naminski, and Mary Jo (Terry) Craig, grew up in Indiana. The Spencers, Jim (Jean) Spencer, Bishop F. Richard Spencer, Bill (Elaine) Spencer, Fr. Robert Spencer and Peg (Joe) Fetyko grew up in Alabama. The Sommerville girls, Carla (John) Satterwhite, Donna Roberts, Nancy (Dan) Armstrong, and Gail (Dave) Conklin, grew up in California. Ruth is further survived by the children and grandchildren of her nieces and nephews.

Ruth resided at the VNA since 2002. She loved living there and was unfailingly cheerful to her fellow residents and the staff. She always said how lucky she was to live in such a wonderful place. Ruth loved to walk through the VNA courts and greeted residents and staff with a smile and, quite frequently, a compliment. We send heartfelt thanks to the staff for the loving care they extended throughout the years and especially the last two weeks of her life. We thank ThedaCare Hospice for their compassionate care which eased Ruth's final journey.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 4, at St. Joseph Church, 404 W. Lawrence Street, Appleton, with Rev. Jim Leary, OFM Cap officiating and Rev. Robert A. Spencer, U.S. Navy Chaplain, concelebrating. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the church on Friday until the time of the mass. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Appleton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Joseph Food Pantry in Menasha, where Ruth volunteered for many years.

Aunt Ruth, thank you for your unconditional love and for all of the wonderful adventures. Love, your nieces and nephews