Ruth Kruse ¹

  General Notes:

Ruth Kruse Schwickert died peacefully of natural causes on September 5, 2009, a few days short of her eighty-ninth birthday. She was loved and appreciated for her kindness to others, her sharp wit and her devotion to family and friends.

Memorial Service 11 a.m., Friday, September 11, 2009 at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Mankato. Visitation will be one hour before the service at church. A private family burial service will be in Calvary Cemetery, Mankato. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to ISJ Hospice, Ruth and Leas Schwickert Memorial Scholarship Fund at MSU Mankato, or the Alzheimer Foundation in honor of her brother Albert.


Ruth was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Albert A. and Lillian W. Kruse. One of the great pleasures of her childhood was traveling the country with her parents and her brother Al. Her delight with journeys near and far continued throughout her life whether a trip to Hawaii or Spain or a Sunday drive in the country.

Near the end of World War II, she met and married Leas G. Schwickert of Mankato, Minnesota. They lived briefly in the Chicago area until Leas was discharged from active duty with the U.S. Navy. After the war, they returned to Mankato to help operate Schwickert Hardware and to raise a family.

Education was highly valued in Ruth's family and that tradition and opportunity were passed on to her and Leas' children. She attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and graduated with a degree in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis. She worked as a business representative for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. during the war commanding an impressive $110 per month salary. Recently, the Ruth and Leas Schwickert Memorial Scholarship was established at Minnesota State University - Mankato for the Construction Management Program.

Life in Mankato was good. Raising four children whose ages spanned thirteen years was an adventure in endless school Christmas programs, exciting high school athletics, Cub Scouts, Campfire Girls, and PTA meetings. She enjoyed dancing and music whether performed by her husband, her children and grandchildren or a Big Band. She funded the creation of the band shell in Sibley Park. Ruth cultivated a passion for flower gardening and could identify all flowers in a nursery even when not in bloom. She encouraged the backyard birds and squirrels to gather for food including a chipmunk that would scratch at the window for a peanut each day. She developed lifelong friendships here including Hap Waswo, Jean Lander, Margaret Linder and Mary Ellen Neitge How through her involvement in the Mankato Golf Club, Portfolio Club and bridge club. Her friends in Al-Anon were also very important to her as she was to them. As her life was passing, she was grateful for the care and affection of those staff members at Laurel's Edge Assisted Living who became her friends.

Sports were always a part of her life whether she was speed skating, playing golf or swimming or watching her children and their friends. She also was an avid fan of the Twins, the Vikings and professional golf, especially Tiger Woods. She was always willing to listen and talk with you, but please be quiet while Tiger was putting.

Ruth is survived by her children, Randy (Donna) Schwickert of Whitefish, Montana, Jill Johnson of North Mankato, Minnesota, Kim (Sue) Schwickert of North Mankato, Minnesota and Kent (Jane) Schwickert of Mankato, Minnesota; her grandchildren, Kjel (Emily) Johnson, Kerk Johnson and friend Bekah Neilson, Kipp (Jen) Johnson, Kyle Johnson and fianc? Anne Redmon, Taylor Schwickert, Lindsey Schwickert, Carly Schwickert, Ryan Schwickert, Kaylee Schwickert, Megan Schwickert, Ian Schwickert and Greta Schwickert and her great-grandchild, Eli Johnson.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Leas in 1993 and her brother Albert. ³

Ruth married Leas G. Schwickert, son of George Schwickert and Bertha Leas. (Leas G. Schwickert was born on 28 Feb 1919 in Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA and died on 27 Apr 1993.)