Obituary: Ruth Johnson

Ruth Johnson

Ruth Johnson passed away peacefully on January 26, 2023, at West Florida Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., with family at her side.

Her visitation was Thursday, Feb. 2 from 5:00-7:00 p.m., followed by a prayer service at 7:00 p.m., all at Evans Funeral Home, Carrington.

Ruth's funeral service was held Friday, February 3 at 10:30 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, Carrington, N.D., with Pastor Paul Cross officiating. Clara Edwardson was organist. Her burial was at the Carrington Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Chris Beck, Tim Beck, Carl Bommersbach and Erik Bommersbach.

Ruth was 95 years old and born on August 28, 1927, on the family farm near Sykeston, N.D., where the family had recently moved from southern Illinois to go into farming. Her parents were James and Marie (Parkhill) Watson.

She attended the Hebron Consolidated Country School in Hawksnest Township and graduated from Carrington High School in 1945.

She graduated from NDSU in 1949 with a Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics. She later taught in Devils Lake, Carrington Elementary School, and Carrington High School.

On June 17, 1951, Ruth married Dr. Keith D. Beck who was a dental student at Northwestern University School of Dentistry in Chicago, Illinois. Upon graduating, Keith and Ruth moved to Carrington, N.D., where he established his dental practice.

Their three children: Kathy, Tom, and John, grew up in Carrington surrounded by family and friends. Keith died after a short illness on July 22, 1966, leaving a widow with three young children. She did a remarkable job, and we are forever grateful for her strength and love.

On July 10, 1972, Ruth married Magnus (Mike) Johnson, and they enjoyed traveling, staying active in the community, and spending time with family. They were long time Trinity Lutheran Church members, sang in the choir, and could be counted on to be in church every Sunday.

Ruth became an expert quilter. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and embroidery projects, and problem-solving. She loved the mental challenge of doing daily crossword puzzles. She was a good listener to her friends and family, and had a very kind heart.

After Mike died in 2014, Ruth moved to Rochester, Minn., in 2015 to be close to her daughter Kathy. She wasn't done traveling though. In 2019, she moved to Pensacola, Florida, to be close to her son Tom and his wife Jackie. She enjoyed the sunny Florida winters.

Ruth is survived by her three children, Kathy (John) Rueter of Rochester, Minn., Tom (Jackie) Beck of Milton, Fla. and Dr. John (Brenda) Beck of Minneapolis, Minn. Her grandchildren are Chris (Krisi) Beck, Tim Beck, Carl (Lisa) Bommersbach, Erik Bommersbach, Michelle (Shawn) Fagan, Robert Rueter, Haley, Shannon, and Rachel Beck. Her great-grandchildren are Cora, Avery, and Cade Bommersbach, Lucas and Jonas Fagan. Her many nieces and nephews were very special to her.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Alice (Jim) Schwab, Mary (John) Halvorson, Betty Mae (Joe) Holzer, and Dorothy Folkert; her brothers, James (Betty Jane) Watson, Kenneth (Frieda) Watson and Charles (Mary Ann) Watson.

Any memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrington, N.D.

Arrangements by Evans Funeral Home, Carrington and New Rockford, N.D.