Ruth Elaine O'Donnell

Ruth E. O’Donnell age 83 of Tracy, MN died Friday, November 26, 2010 at the Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy. Services will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 PM Monday, November 29, 2010 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, with a rosary at 4:00 PM and a prayer service at 7:30 PM. The visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Tracy. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements. Ruth Elaine O’Donnell was born December 28, 1926 to Charles and Martha (Haberman) Rasche in Heron Lake, MN, Cottonwood County. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Heron Lake and attended Sacred Heart Catholic School through 8th grade and graduated from Heron Lake High School in 1944. She then attended the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis, MN for two years. She then moved to Mankato, MN for a short time before her marriage. On June 16, 1951 Ruth married Raymond O’Donnell at St. John’s Catholic Church in Mankato, MN. They made their home in Tracy, MN and Ruth was a homemaker, actively participating in her children’s activities when they were young. Ruth first worked with her husband Ray at the Jewelry store they owned and operated in Tracy. After selling the Jewelry store, she worked as a bookkeeper at JC Penny’s, then as a manager at The Tracy Fabric Center before going to work as the bookkeeper at the John Deere Implement in Tracy until her retirement. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy and very active in the Alter and Rosary Society. She enjoyed sewing, golfing, Bridge Club and following Tracy Scrapper/Panther athletics. Ruth also was an avid Minnesota Twins and Vikings fan. For many years, Ruth and her husband Ray enjoyed wintering in Texas. She also enjoyed watching her grandchildren growing up and attending their sporting events and other activities. In November 2005 Ruth became a resident of Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy, where she died surrounded by her loving family on Friday, November 26, 2010 at the age of 83. Ruth is survived by her one son, Kevin O’Donnell of Little Canada, MN; two daughters, Colleen (David) Erickson of Eau Claire, WI and Kathy (Rick) Kleve of Maplewood, MN; three grandsons, Mike, Brian and Matt Erickson; one sister, Betty Thoreson of Laurel MD; sister-in-law, Lucille O’Donnell of North Mankato, MN; brother-in-law, George (Jo Cleta) O’Donnell of Glencoe, MN; nieces, nephews and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray, parents, brother-in-law, LeRoy Thoreson, and brother-in-law and wife, Don and Viola O’Donnell. Blessed be her memory The family requests that memorials be given to Prairie Home Hospice.