Ruth Odys Brooks passed away peacefully surrounded by family on August 11, 2024. She was born on May 22, 1926, to Olga and Clarence Jetson and grew up in Spring Grove, Minn., alongside her siblings.
In 1946, Ruth obtained her Elementary Teaching Certificate from Winona State Teachers College. She taught in Byron for five years before marrying Russell Brooks on July 16, 1949. Ruth and Russell welcomed five boys over the course of their marriage: Mark, Scott, Dave, Stanley (Joe) and Robert. Ruth took time away from teaching to raise them, she loved bringing them to spend time with her family in Spring Grove over the holidays and taking trips up north to Dora Lake and Breezy Point.
After 16 years, Ruth returned to teaching for an additional 24 years. On August 13, 1989 Russell passed away. Ruth retired in 1991 only to stay extremely involved in the community doing volunteer work. She served as the District commander of the American Legion Auxiliary, delivered Meals on Wheels, played a critical role in organizing local Al Anon meetings and was a dedicated member of Christ Lutheran Church and a proud participant in her JOY (Just Older Youth) group.
In 1995, Ruth married Everett Ziese from Owatonna after meeting on the dance floor at Pla-Mor Ballroom in Rochester. Through this marriage, she gained many more family members from Wells, Minn. Ruth and Everett enjoyed taking vacations with Everett’s friends from the Army. Ruth took great care of Everett until he passed away on March 13, 2012.
In Ruth’s most recent years, she took great pleasure in keeping up with the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She took advantage of every opportunity to share about their accomplishments and show off photos. Ruth accomplished so much, experienced many things, and touched many lives in her 98 years. When asked what her secret to a long, healthy life was, she would always say her faith.
She is survived by four sons and one step-daughter: Mark (Norma) Brooks, Scott (Hollee) Brooks, Dave (Janis) Brooks, Bob (JoAnn) Brooks and Sherry (Lyle) Stern; and siblings Jean (Jim) Hiner and Sandy (Tom) Shanahan. She leaves behind 10 grandchildren: Austin (Courtney) Brooks, Evan (Sara) Brooks, Alexandra (Richard) Bennett, Chelsea (Daniel) Brooks, Sarah (Brandon) Heath, Lily Brooks, Matt (Kay) Stern, Nate (Kim), Tara (Jeremy) Bigelow, and Shanna Glasrud; and 13 great-grandchildren: Charley, Timothy, Phoebe, Russell, Otto, Brooks, Liz, Brody, Blayze, Cayden, Harper, Sawyer and Halie.
Ruth is preceded in death by her husband and father of her boys, Russell; her second husband, Everett; her son Stanley “Joe” Brooks, step-granddaughter Mandy Stern, and siblings Dorothy (Harold) Norman and Harold (Louise) Jetson.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Christ Lutheran Church in Byron, Minn. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday, August 16, 2024, at Byron Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service Saturday at the church. Burial will be in Byron Cemetery in Byron.