Ruth Ellen Thoma

Ruth Ellen Thoma passed away on Sunday, January 2, 2011, at Northpoint Medical & Rehabilitation Center where she had resided for 13 days, recuperating from a fractured hip. Proud of her heritage, a descendant of Noah Miles, who settled ,1/4 section of Winnebago County, in 1846, Ruth Howlett Thoma was the last living relative to live on a section of the original government issue. Ruth was born to Robert Miles and Mary Ludwine (Horen) Howlett on November 11, 1919, in Oshkosh. A graduate of Oshkosh High School, she matriculated at Oshkosh Business College.June 28, 1941, she and Clyde W. Thoma were married at St. Johns Catholic Church. From this union, three children were born: Mary Ellen (Alfred) Sedlachek, Oshkosh; Patricia (James) Nordhaus, Middleton; and Thomas (Tami) Thoma, Neenah. Ruth was devoted to her family giving them support in all their endeavors.A talented artist in many facets, she loved to paint and was an expert seamstress fashioning hers and her daughters entire wedding ensembles. Many people came to her with an idea or picture from which she tailored the finished product. She was a 4-H clothing leader who also was skilled in crocheting, knitting, creating draperies, upholstering, and sewing items from fur. Raised on her familys farm she continued to enjoy planting her yearly garden, harvesting her apple orchard and abundant raspberry bushes along with her beautiful rose bushes, red geraniums and chrysanthemums, Her Boston ferns and Christmas cactuses were the envy of all. Never idle, she canned and froze all her produce and loved to bake and embellish everything with roses. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church all her married life and took great pride in fashioning Happy Flowers for the Mercy Medical Center gift shop.She is survived by 8 grandchildren,: Kelly Norris, Helene (Michael) Nimmer, Sara Sedlachek Kimberlee (Thomas, deceased) Holleyman, Bradley (Kristina) Nordhaus; Jeremy, Joshua and Elizabeth Thoma; 5 great grandchildren: Coleton Holleyman, Anna and Emily Nordhaus, Connor Norris and Gavin Nimmer, one daughter-in-law, Denise Thoma and several nieces and nephews including Kathy, Lee and Teresa, and Bonnie and David.Ruth is predeceased by her husband Clyde in 1999; sisters Rosemary Ziegenhagen and Leah Sosnoski, and great grandson, John Nimmer.As the wife of a talented musician, both enjoyed dancing in their later years at the dance clubs to which they belonged. Mother has joined her favorite dancing partner dancing to their song, It Had to Be You.A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Thursday, January 5, 2011 at 11:00 AM at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Parish, Sacred Heart Church on Knapp St. Visitation will be at 9:00a.m to the time of Mass at the church. Burial will be at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.The family extends a gracious thank you to Northpoint Medical & Rehabilitation Center for its excellent care given to Ruth and her family

St. Jude - Sacred Heart Church



519 Knapp St
Oshkosh
WI
54902

Thursday, January 06, 2011
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.



St. Jude - Sacred Heart Church



519 Knapp St
Oshkosh
WI
54902

Thursday, January 06, 2011
11:00 a.m.



Calvary Catholic Cemetery



Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh
WI
54901