Ruth Carolyn (Hintze) Lemke passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Olmsted Medical Center. She was 86 years old. Ruth was born in Spring Valley, Minn., on January 13, 1937, to Ruben and Lenora (Grabau) Hintze. Ruth attended school in Spring Valley, graduating from Spring Valley High School in 1955, where she had been active in both band and chorus. Ruth worked at First National Bank in downtown Spring Valley after high school. During this time, she took several vacation trips with a group of girls she worked with, most of whom remained lifelong friends.
In 1957, she met and dated Ray Lemke. They were married on June 14, 1959. After taking several years away from banking to raise daughters Carolyn and Ann to school age, she returned to the workforce for a few years at the Standard Oil terminal east of Spring Valley, then returned to banking. She retired from First State Bank in Spring Valley.
Ruth enjoyed attending her daughters’ school activities, even in their college years, and she acted as room mother and chaperone at various times throughout their elementary years. Ruth also enjoyed crafts and sewing, music, gardening, genealogy, collecting fossils and rocks, and spending time in nature. The whole family enjoyed many camping vacations all over the United States. Ruth was a current member of both the Spring Valley Garden Club and the local quilting club. Ray and Ruth played cards monthly with the same group of friends for 50 years. In their retirement years, Ruth and Ray took short camping trips to various national fossil society shows. Ruth also sang in the church choir most of her adult life.
Ruth is survived by daughters Carolyn (Brian) Kanne of Medford, Minn., and Ann (Brad) Ihrke of Spring Valley. Also surviving are grandchildren Deanna Kanne of Orlando, Fla., Michael Kanne of Medford, and Josh (Brooke) Ihrke of Stewartville, Minn.; a brother, Roger Hintze, of Shoreview, Minn., and a sister-in-law, Anita Nelson of Spring Valley.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 64 years, Ray; parents Ruben and Lenora, brothers- and sisters-in-law Douglas and Anna Richardson, Edwin and Lila Lemke, Wilmer (Bill) and Sylvia Lemke, Alan and Leona Nelson, David and Doris Crabtree, and Ken Nelson; two nephews and two nieces.
Memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28 at Our Savior’s and will continue for one hour prior to the service on Thursday.
Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com.