Aberdeen, SD – Ruth Marie Brown, 94, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away Saturday, December 10, 2022, at Jenkins Living Center, Watertown, SD.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 19, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Aberdeen, SD, with Father Andrew Dickinson officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Visitation will be 3-5 p.m., Sunday, December 18, at the mortuary with a liturgical wake at 5 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before Mass at the church.
Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.
Ruth Marie Monroe was born on May 7, 1928, in Hartford Wisconsin to Walter and Mabel Monroe and grew up with her four siblings: Kathleen, Joan, Nancy, and Jerry.
Ruth attended Marquette University and worked as a Speech Therapist in Omaha Nebraska, where she met Edward Leo Brown. The two dated and fell in love and were married at Holy Hill Basilica in Hubertus, WI on September 6, 1952. The two settled in Aberdeen, SD.
Ruth was a devoted Catholic and an active member of Sacred Heart Parish. She was a member of the Adoration Prayer group at St. Luke’s Hospital. She shared her faith in Jesus with many and sponsored several individuals in RCIA to become Catholics. She had great relationships with the Priests and Ruth and Ed would often have them over for a meal and stimulating conversation.
Ruth loved learning. She was a long-term student at Northern State College and was well respected by both Professors and students alike. She took over 40 college courses covering a diverse range of topics just to expand her mind. She also took classes at Presentation College, but since Northern was only a block away, she considered that home. Ruth was never afraid to speak up in class and voice her opinion. She also loved going to plays and musicals with friends and family.
Ruth was an avid hunter and fisherman and was well known for catching the “Big” Northern Pike with her very proud Dad when she was young. Ruth and Ed planned annual hunting trips for deer and antelope and enjoyed playing bridge with lifelong friends.
Ruth spent summers at Mina Lake with the family and loved boat rides and entertaining guests with meals prepared from their vegetable garden. She also spent many hours tending to her precious flowers.
Ruth was a great communicator and had a great sense of humor. Her ministry was meeting new people and getting to know their life stories. Ruth loved playing card games like Crazy Eights and Kings in the Corner with her family, friends and grandkids. She had a competitive nature and loved to win in cards, and usually did.
Grateful for having shared Ruth’s life are her children: Margaret (Ron), Michael, David (Barbara), and Michael (Trish); grandchildren: Brandon (Randi), Alyssa, Josh (Megan), Jordan (Scott), and Jonathan; great-grandchildren: Alex, Bailey, Kamden, Kendall, Dez, Rue, Ashyr, Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, Natalia, Drayden, Kingston, Quinn, and Madden; sister, Nancy Wolff; and many nieces and nephews and loving friends.
Ruth was proceeded in death by her husband Ed: parents, Walter and Mabel Monroe; son, Larry; sisters, Kathleen Onello and Joan Shea; and brother Jerry Monroe.
‘See you in Heaven…’ “Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma
