Ruth Jeanette (Swenson) Schock of Amery, WI died surrounded by family on March 12, 2019 at the Amery Hospital and Clinic. She was 92 years young.
Left to celebrate her life are her children and their spouses: Denise (John) Wright, Jan (Kim) Schock, Oralee Schock, Todd (Mona) Schock, grandchildren: Briana, Kiel, Kate, Bryndan, Ryan, Broden, and Grace, brother Gordy (Sue) Carlson, sister-in-law and life-long friend, Sylvia (Schock) Waalen, nieces, nephews, neighbors, church family, teaching colleagues, former students, and the extended Austvold family. Preceding Ruth in death were her beloved husband Gordy, son-in-law Michael, infant daughter, mother Alice, and grandparents Rose and Alfred Swenson.
Ruth was born to Alice Rose Swenson on July 13, 1926. She grew up with her grandparents, Rose Janette and Alfred Swenson on a farm near Pine Lake. Ruth graduated from Osceola High School in 1945 where she played the French horn in the HS band. During the fall of 1945, she attended the St. Croix Normal School for a two year program for teachers. Ruth met Sylvia Schock in 1946 when they roomed in the same house at Normal. Sylvia took Ruth home to meet Gordy, eventually leading to their union in marriage on August 19, 1949 at West Emmanuel Church, which was where Ruth was baptized and confirmed. Five children were born to the couple: Denise, Jan, Oralee, Todd, and a premature infant daughter. For the next 68 years her and Gordy lived on the Schock family farm, of all the animals, the chickens were her favorite. She worked hard and spent many hours tending to them, selling eggs to the neighbors and even bartering eggs for groceries at the local IGA store in Amery.
Ruth's first teaching job was in Elm Grove near Horse Creek. She taught there from 1947-1949 in a one room school with twenty students ranging from first to eighth grade. Her teaching duties included building and banking the fire along with sweeping and cleaning. Her second teaching job started in Wanderoos in the lower room (grades 1-4) in 1949. In 1953, she stopped teaching to raise her family for the next 13 years. When Todd was in first grade, Ruth returned to Wanderoos and taught in the lower room. In 1968, Lien Elementary in Amery opened and all of the country schools closed. Ruth taught first grade, then she took a year off to attend UWRF to complete her BA. She continued to teach at Lien until 1988, that was Ruth's last year of teaching and Ore's first year of teaching at Lien.
Retirement included camping and trips to sunny Arizona, where she and Gordy spent many winters. Ruth also loved Norway, she and Gordy took five trips to visit family and friends. Among other things, Ruth enjoyed word searches, going for drives to see all the plants and animals she loved, pontoon rides, campfires, and watching the Twins. One of her favorite things was going for walk around the farm. She walked almost every day she was able until arthritis limited her mobility. Ruth also loved to write in her journal and never missed reading her daily scriptures and bible passages.
Ruthie also cherished having a big garden including a raspberry patch. She canned tomatoes, pickles, peaches, pears, blackberries, and meat. She also made jelly, baked bread, and over the years fried hundreds of pounds of lefsa.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 17 from 2-5 p.m. at Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery, WI. The funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Amery, WI with visitation an hour before. Interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations will be made to causes Ruth cared deeply for.