Ruth Helen Ericson

Ruth Ericson went to be with the Lord on Monday, July 17, 2023. She was born in Chicago on January 23, 1923, the eighth of ten children: Elmer, Florence, Gideon, Julian, Violet, Elinor, (Carl) Norman, Ruth, June, and Claire. Her parents, Erik and Gerda Nelson both emigrated from Sweden and were married in 1906. Erik worked as a self-employed carpenter. The family joined the Second Swedish Baptist Church of Chicago where they were longtime members. The name of the church was later changed to Grace Baptist Church.

Like millions of others, Ruth’s family struggled during the Great Depression. The large family lived in a small two- bedroom, one-bath bungalow. Her father eventually finished the attic into a room for the boys and enclosed the back porch for another bedroom. Even so, Ruth recalled during her childhood sleeping in one bed between two sisters. She believed that the hard times brought the family closer together.

She met the love of her life, Leon Eric Ericson at her church in 1942. They married in 1944. Leon enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was stationed for a time in Hondo, Texas. After the war they lived for a time in Chicago and then moved successively to Clarendon Hills, Illinois; Western Springs, Illinois, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; Burr Ridge, Illinois; and New Berlin, Wisconsin.

Ruth and Leon retired to Kulm, North Dakota where her daughter Linsey and family lived. After Leon’s death in 1999 Ruth moved to Forest Lake, Minnesota, and then to The Lodge in White Bear Lake, Minnesota where she was near her daughter Noel and son Joel and their families.

Throughout her life Ruth was devoted to her family, and her church, and honored her Swedish heritage. She was an active and faithful member of all the churches to which she belonged over the years. She had a beautiful solo voice and sang in several church choirs and at two Billy Graham Crusades in the Chicago Area. She was always willing to provide special music for a worship service when she and Leon were visiting one of their children. With all the moves she and Leon made, Ruth developed a wide circle of friends with whom she kept in contact throughout her life.

Ruth was a wonderful cook. She used her experience as a child to master the many Swedish dishes that were served at her traditional smörgåsbord. She instilled in all of her children a love for cooking.

Ruth is survived by her sister Claire Hamlin, her four children Timothy (Vallie), Noel (William) White, Joel (Kim), and Linsey (Bart) Schott, seven grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and almost two dozen nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leon, and one grandson, Nicholas White.

A celebration of her life and ascension to heaven will be held at Immanuel Church in Forest Lake, MN, on Thursday, September 7th at 4:00pm. In lieu of flowers the family encourages donations to Immanuel Church, 9511 West Broadway Avenue, Forest Lake, MN, 55025.