Ruth Mae Christensen Nelson, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and friend to so many, passed away on Feb. 17, 2016, at the age of 99, three months shy of her 100th birthday. She was a resident of Immanuel Lutheran Home for six and a half years.

Ruth was born in Mercer, North Dakota, on May 25, 1916, to Martin and Christine Christensen. The fourth of 12 children, she was raised in North Dakota. Her education started in Mercer for a year then to Gardena, North Dakota, for a year, then a year in a country school at Trinity, north of Kenmare, North Dakota. She continued the rest of her schooling in Kenmare through the 11th grade of high school.

Ruth cleaned houses in Kenmare until 1934, then headed to Minneapolis. She ended her housecleaning days in 1939 and started nurses aid work in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Old Bethesda Home. After two years, she went to Augustana Home for a year where she worked nights until she married in 1941.

Ruth met Martin Luther “Lute” Nelson in 1940 and they were married Oct. 18, 1941, in Minneapolis. They were married for 56 years. While Lute was in the service, Ruth stayed in Minneapolis with her sister Emma until 1942 when she returned to Kenmare to help out the family after her mother passed. In 1943 Ruth and Lute moved to San Luis Obispo, California, and lived at Pismo Beach. Ruth worked in a food market for five months and moved to Huthchinson, Minnesota, when Lute went overseas in August 1943. She again lived with Emma in Hutchinson on Main Street. Ruth worked nights as a nurse aide at the Hutchinson Hospital for three years.

Lute accepted a job at the Hungry Horse Dam in April 1950 and the family moved to Montana for two years. Family friends, Lowell and Jeanette Wright, offered Lute a job back on the farm in Hutchinson in March 1953. They moved back to Minnesota for over two years. Lute then accepted a job for Anaconda Aluminum Company in Columbia Falls in July 1955 and again moved back to Montana. There were no rentals available so they were forced to buy a house. They purchased part of the old Evergreen School building and made it their home. Ruth’s brother John also bought part of the school building as well.

Ruth worked as a nurse aid at the Immanuel Lutheran Home for 11 years from 1969 to 1980. Both Lute and Ruth retired in 1980. They spent some time in Arizona enjoying retirement. However, they both agreed there was no place like the Flathead Valley. Ruth and Lute were charter members of Calvary Lutheran Church, Kalispell.

A longtime friend, Florence Borgen, shared with us that Ruth was the best cook in Flathead County ... for sure!

Ruth was committed to her church work, from pie socials, lefse baking, quilting, potlucks, council meetings, Sunday school teacher, church choir and ladies aide, to name a few; she devoted her life to helping others. Her life was her church, her family and her grandkids. She was always so great at taking charge and making sure every detail got taken care of — she just made things happen. It was one of her many gifts. She earned the name “Sarge” from her siblings and family heritage.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Martin, her parents, son Howard, six sisters, Emma, Margaret, Mary June, Grace, Aimee and Elsie, and three brothers, Alvin, Hank and John; and granddaughter Sarah.

Ruth is survived by two brothers, Dave Christensen and Duane Christensen, both of Bemidji, Minnesota; two daughters and three sons and their families, Jane and Michael Radel, Joyce and Kent Schaumburg, Duane and Nancy Nelson, Lowell and Yvonne Nelson, and Warren Nelson, all of the Kalispell area. She is blessed with 14 grandchildren, Ken, Angela, Sonya, Carrie, Andrew, Matthew, Ryan, Nate, Jason, Megan, Zack, Greg, Kali and Kaylan. She also has 11 great-grandchildren, Ken Jr., Kurtis, Kane, Alex, Kaydence, JD, Leah, June, Piper, Bethany and Sarah. Rounding out the list are three great-great-grandchildren, Tavin, William and Wyatt. Her extended family is over 450 strong.

What a life she led — from horse and wagon days, through two World Wars, the Depression, the “Dirty ‘30s,” motorized cars, inventions of the television, radio, telephone and the list goes on. Through it all, she always kept the faith and never lost sight of her Christian heritage. She was always so proud to show off her family and grandchildren. Even in her days that were full of pain for almost reaching 100, she was amazingly tough and never complained to much. She was an example to her family and friends and she learned very young to appreciate the little things.

“You are free to run a race now, Mom… you have earned it!”

A public viewing will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at Calvary Lutheran Church. A burial will immediately follow at noon at Glacier Memorial Gardens. The celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church with Pastor Bob Nilsen and Pastor Kurt Rau officiating.

If you wish to make a gift, please consider Calvary Lutheran Church or Immanuel Lutheran Home.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the Nelson family.