A celebration of the life of Ruth Harrison, 89, of Jefferson was held Monday, Nov. 20, at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson.
The Rev Gordon Moen, pastor of the church, offered words of comfort. Doyle Carlson was soloist with Danille Curtis as accompanist. Honorary bearers were Don Fatka, Larry Fatka, Ron Fatka, Rick Smith, Duane Stanek, David Fatka, Dave Mills, Denny Klocksiem and Allen Klocksiem.
Casket bearers were Nick Harrison, Foster Harrison, Chad Harrison, Brett Harrison, Matt Baker and Collin Harrison. Interment was at Lost Grove Cemetery in Lanyon.
The family was assisted by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson.
Ruth Magdalene Fatka, the daughter of Lewis and Lena (Shafer) Fatka, was born July 28, 1928, at Paton and departed this life Nov. 17, 2017, at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Jefferson.
Ruth was raised on the family farm where she was born at Paton. At the age of 12, Ruth accepted Christ as her personal savior, to which she held fast throughout her life. She moved with her parents to Jefferson in 1944. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1945. She attended Westmar College and completed her requirements to be an elementary teacher in 1948. She taught third grade at Early.
On Aug. 4, 1949, Ruth was united in marriage to Walter Harrison at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Paton. Walter and Ruth were the parents of four sons. They spent 17 years farming in the Paton and Burnside communities. In 1966, they moved to a farm near Lanyon where they lived for 25 years. During this time, Ruth did substitute teaching in local schools. She also enjoyed working with children in Sunday school and bible school.
Walter and Ruth retired and moved to Jefferson in 1991. Ruth was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. She loved her family and enjoyed her grandchildren immensely. The best times in her life were with her husband Walter, whom she also considered her best friend. Together, they did considerable traveling and in later years, they enjoyed spending time hiking and exploring many parks and historical places of interest and seeing the country in their motor home.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Walter; her brothers Wilber Fatka, Howard Fatka, Paul Fatka, and infant brother Warner; her sisters Rachel Klockseim, Fern Mead, and Nada Estes; and daughter-in-law Linda Harrison.
Left to mourn her passing are her sons Joe Harrison of Gowrie, Kim (Denise) Harrison of Alexander, Mark (Ellen) Harrison of Onalaska, WI, and Todd (Teresa) Harrison of Ogden; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Charlotte Smith of Harcourt; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
