Ruth Lucille (Olson) Ness was born May 4, 1922, at home in rural Rolette, North Dakota, to Edward and Bertina (Kittelson) Olson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Ruth graduated from Rolette High School in 1939. She worked in Bremerton, Washington, as a torpedo tester during World War II. She graduated from Business College in Fargo, North Dakota. She worked at Lindsey Implement in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ruth married Carroll Peter Ness on June 28, 1949. To this union were born four sons, Paul, Steven, Richard, and Charles. Ruth and Carroll moved several times from rural Clarkfield, to Hitchcock, South Dakota, to Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Lepla, South Dakota, to Lake Andes, South Dakota, and back to rural Clarkfield (1961 to the present). Ruth was a homemaker and farm wife until 1963 when she became a secretary at the Yellow Medicine County Extension Office of Clarkfield. She worked there until 1970 when she took a position as a Food and Nutrition Specialist with the Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program at the University of Minnesota. She had groups she worked with in Clarkfield, Echo, Wood Lake and Granite Falls. In addition, Ruth worked with native American Groups, the Upper Sioux Agency, and also Unwed Mothers Groups. After retirement, she and her husband had been spending summers in rural Clarkfield on their farm and winters in Mesa, Arizona. She was a faithful member of Bergen Lutheran Church, Belle's women's organization of Mesa, Arizona (of which she served as President for three years) and several local card clubs in rural Clarkfield. Her four children graduated from college and two children received graduate degrees. Ruth passed away at her home in Lisbon Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, on Saturday, June 7, 1997, at the age of 75 years, 1 month and 4 days. She is survived by her husband Carroll Ness of Clarkfield; her children, Paul Ness of Huntington, New York, Steven Ness of Maplewood, Minnesota, Richard Ness and wife Paula of Apple Valley, Minnesota and Charles Ness and wife Debra of Cottonwood, Minnesota; four grandchildren; two brothers, Richard and Donald Olson and sister Clarice Johnson. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Dorothy Dubuque and Carol Johnson and brothers George and Curtis. Memorial Service: Thursday, June 12, 1997 2:00 p.m. Bergen Lutheran Church, Stony Run Township Officiant: Pastor Dave Mesner Organist: Kathy Dufrane Vocal Music: Deb and Jordan Wilson "Amazing Grace" "Fill My Cup Lord" Final Resting Place: Bergen Lutheran Cemetery Stony Run Township Yellow Medicine County Minnesota Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since 1891 Clarkfield Minnesota