Ruth Ileen Moen Kraft passed away peacefully on January 3rd 2021.
Ruth was born on December 13th 1921 on a farm near Christine North Dakota to Clara and John M. Moen. She graduated from Pleasant Consolidated High School in 1940 and entered St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing (Fargo North Dakota) in the fall of 1940. Ruth graduated as a Registered Nurse in the fall of 1943.
Ruth entered Active Duty Military Service as 2nd Lt. ANC on March 13th 1944 after completing basic training (Fort Snelling Minnesota to Army Air Force Base in Santa Ana California.) She served at Camp Roberts California as well as Hoff General Hospital in Santa Barbara California before departing from US via ship for the Philippines on June 30th 1945. Ruth arrived at AP Theatre in the Philippines on July 26th 1945. [Leyte, 133 General Hospital APO 1005 and 126 General Hospital APO 1004] On February 7th 1946 Ruth departed the Philippines (again by ship) and arrived back in the USA on February 27th. Ruth separated from Military Service on April 7th 1946 at Fort Sheridan Illinois as 1st Lt. ANC.
While working as a Registered Nurse at the VA Hospital in Fargo North Dakota Ruth met her future husband (then patient) Loren P. Kraft. They were married on June 12th 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Fargo North Dakota. They had four children. Deborah, Ellen, Linda and Loren Jr. Ruth lost her husband to cancer in 2002. They had been married for 53 years.
Ruth is survived by her children Deborah, Ellen, Linda (Clem), Loren Jr. (Marta), 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly. We will celebrate her extraordinary life and the loving example she was to all who knew her.
Memorial Service to be held out of doors on January 16th 2021 (2 PM) at Mountain View Cemetery in Mesa Arizona. Ruth will be laid to rest next to her husband Loren, who passed on December 25th 2002.
Memorials suggested to:
Maggie’s Hospice
306 N. Virginia Street
Prescott, Arizona 86301
How BLESSED I’ve been to call you Mom. For over 70 years you have “mothered” me with the GREATEST love and tenderness. I have a lifetime of beautiful memories to recall until I am no more. I am relieved that you no longer suffer Mom but I will miss you always……………
What a beautiful journey, so well depicted. It’s easy to see how truly blessed a soul Ruth is… in hearing Amie’s stories and in feeling her grandma’s influence. I’m eternally grateful for this wonderful woman. Thank you for sharing!
I was privileged to have known Mrs. Kraft through Ellen and Linda. She was a sweetheart and made me feel like another daughter! It was a blessing that she was able to spend her last days in the comfort of her children. May she Rest In Peace. 🙏