Mass of Christian burial for Ruth Hagen Klein, 86, of Bismarck and formerly of Ellendale will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Bismarck.
There will also be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at Presbyterian United Methodist Church in Ellendale.
Ruth died Nov. 17, 2012, surrounded by her family at the Baptist Home in Bismarck, after a courageous fight with cancer.
Ruth LoRayne Ellsworth, daughter of William Charles and Bernice Marie (Wylie) Ellsworth, was born May 21, 1926, in Frankly Township, Brown County, S.D. Her family lived in several places within 10 miles of Barnard. She attended five years at rural school, then sixth grade through 12th, graduating from Barnard High School with the class of 1944. Ruth loved school and didn't want to miss any days, as her early ambition was to become a teacher.
Her teenage years were filled with work and play. She was a happy person. After school, she worked at the grain elevator, recorded ration stamps and as a waitress at a café and at JC Penney in Aberdeen, where she decorated the windows and made posters.
She was united in marriage to Leonard Hagen on July 17, 1946. They lived in Silverleaf, N.D., for two years with his parents, with whom he farmed. In 1949, they moved to Ellendale, where Ruth taught rural community school in Ellendale Township for six years, also working in the hotel café for two summers. She then became the Office Manager at the Ellendale Hospital. She started the Nodak Café in 1957 and in 1974 they sold the business after a very successful 17 years in the hospitality business.
Ruth was not one to sit around, even when she was busy while running the Nodak. In the early 1970s, she attended UND-Ellendale Branch, where she received an Associate's Degree in Business Administration. After a short stint of retirement, she went to work at Crabtree Insurance for a couple of years. In 1976, she began employment with the N.D. Truck Regulatory at the Ellendale Scale. Truck Regulatory later became a division of the N.D. Highway Patrol, where Ruth became one of the first women to wear a badge for the N.D. Highway Patrol. Ruth retired from the Highway Patrol in 1991. She then went back to work at Crabtree Insurance running the N.D. Vehicle Licensing division. After 52 years of marriage, Leonard died July 22, 1998.
Ruth was an active member of the Order of Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron for two years and several other offices. She was President of Ellendale Federated Women for five years and President of United Methodist Women and held other offices within the church and served on the Board of Directors of the United Methodist Women Central District for eight years. She was a charter member of the Ellendale Historical Society, member of VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary and Ellendale Civic Association. Ruth was known for her good business sense, hard work ethic and strong desire to achieve when it was difficult for women to own and operate their own business.
Ruth was united in marriage to Joe Klein on May 13, 2005. They lived on Joe's farm near Zeeland, N.D., until they moved to Bismarck in 2008.
Ruth is survived by her husband, Joe; two sons: Boyd Hagen of Ellendale and Lance (Debi) Hagen of Bismarck; siblings: Gary (Charlotte) Ellsworth of Florence, Ariz., Rita (Jim) Harrison of Sturgis and Ted (Linda) Ellsworth of Ellendale; stepchildren: Darren (Lynette) Klein of Wahpeton, N.D., Kelly Klein of Bismarck and Tammy (Randy) Schatz of Fargo; grandchildren: Mike Hagen, Michelle (Jeff) Braunberger, Mindy (Brad) Jensen, Lexi Hagen, Ericka and Shane Schatz and Kailee and Kiah Klein; and great-grandchildren: Taren, Jocelyn and Madelyn Braunberger.
Her parents; husband, Leonard; and nephew, Grant Ellsworth; preceded her in death.
Carlsen Funeral Home of Ellendale.
carlsenfh.com