Ruth Irene Hendricksen

Ruth Irene Hendricksen, of Truman, passed away on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at the age of 96 at Truman Senior Living.   Ruth was born March 5, 1921, the daughter of Edward and Stella (Riley) Mertesdorf in Vernon Center Township, Vernon Center, MN.  She was baptized and confirmed at the Grace Methodist Church in Vernon Center.  She graduated from Garden City High School in 1939 and Mankato Commercial College in 1941.  During WWII she worked as a bookkeeper/secretary/teller at the First National Bank in Winnebago for 5 ½ years.  Following Rudy’s discharge from the US Army, Ruth was united in marriage to Rudolph “Rudy” Hendricksen on November 23, 1946 at the Grace Methodist Church in Vernon Center.  They farmed in the Pleasant Mound Township, Truman, MN.  After Rudy’s death on February 13, 1978, Ruth took a summer course at the UMW (Waseca) in floral design and has since worked at Weerts Floral and Country Floral in Winnebago, in addition to 19 years with Truman Floral and Gifts beginning in 1992.  Ruth was a bookkeeper at Country times in Amboy for 2 years.  In 1947, she joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Truman where she helped organize the Naomi Circle in 1950, was active on the cookbook committee, the stole committee, the centennial committee and was the Sunday school superintendent and taught for several years. She was also a member of the Truman American Legion Auxiliary, the Truman Historical Auxiliary, a former member of the neighborhood county corner club and the happy-hour birthday club. She enjoyed spending time with her family, the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the Mertesdorf and Hendricksen family gatherings.  She has hobbies of thimble collecting, stamping, writing family histories, making heirloom pillowcase and handkerchief dolls, flower designing, and in her later years crocheting “friendly flowers” scrubbies.  Ruth is survived by her son  Brian (Dawn) Hendricksen of Truman; granddaughters Ashley (Charles) Hendricksen-Rasche and Chelsey (Jeff) Armbrust; great grandchildren Justin and Owen Hendricksen-Rasche, Harper and Emery Armbrust; brother Dean Mertesdorf of Mankato and sister –in-law LuVerna Boler, numerous other family and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Rudy, an infant daughter; sister-in-law Shirley Mertesdorf; brothers and sisters-in-law Raymond (Frieda) Hendricksen, Eleanor (Marvin) Voelker, Gilbert (Leona) Henriksen, Eldor (Vivian (Cliff) Paulsen) Henriksen, Miles Boler, Edward Jr. (Ruth) Hendricksen, Delores (Loren) Knuth and Lorraine (George) Becker.  Visitation will be Sunday, November 26, 2017 from 5-7 PM at Zaharia Family Funeral Home.  with visitation on hour prior to the Funeral Service, on Monday, November 27, 2017 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Truman.  Burial will follow in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Rural Truman.  Zaharia Family Funeral & Cremation Services Truman.  www.ZahariaFamilyFuneral.com