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of Christian Burial for Ruth Hagen Klein, 86, of Bismarck and formerly of Ellendale will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Bismarck.
There will also be a memorial service at 2:00 pm, Friday, November 23, 2012 at Presbyterian United Methodist Church in Ellendale.
Burial in Ellendale City Cemetery.
Ruth died November 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, SD. Her family lived in several places within ten miles of Barnard, SD. She attended five years at rural school then 6th 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, ND 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 1970’s, she attended UND-Ellendale Branch where she received an Associates 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 ND Truck Regulatory at the Ellendale Scale. Truck Regulatory later became a division of the ND Highway Patrol where Ruth became one of the first women to where a badge for the ND Highway Patrol. Ruth retired from the Highway Patrol in 1991. She then went back to work at Crabtree Insurance running the ND 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, ND 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, AZ, Rita (Jim) Harrison of Sturgis, SD and Ted (Linda) Ellsworth of Ellendale; step-children, Darren (Lynette) Klein of Wahpeton, ND, 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, ND has been entrusted with arrangements. www.carlsenfh.com