Ruth Rienhart, 91, died Wednesday morning at the Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes.
Viewing will be Friday Oct. 31, 2008, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Ruth’s funeral service will be 2 p. m. Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, at the American Lutheran Church in Chinook with Pastor Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial will follow at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the services at the graveside. Memorial contributions in Ruth’s honor may be made to the American Lutheran Church, 537 Ohio Street, Chinook, MT 59523. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Ruth was born Oct. 23, 1917, in Turner to Oliver and Dina (Danielson) Olson. She was raised and educated in the Turner area. Ruth was a hard worker she worked on a farm south of Chinook as a cook. She also cleaned homes and worked at the bakery. On March 25, 1944, Ruth married William Rienhart in Chinook. Together they made their home in the Chinook and Harlem areas and raised nine children. Ruth was an excellent baker. She enjoyed cooking, sewing and playing card games. She had a wonderful garden and grew beautiful flowers. Ruth was a compassionate person who loved her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ruth was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Chinook and also participated in the woman’s quilt guild at the church. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William “Shorty” Rienhart, in 1993; sisters: Neva Anderson, Myrtle Irvin and Florence Duncan; brothers: Oscar, Ovie and Teddy Olson; one grandson, Alan Denning, in 2006; and two infant grandchildren. Ruth is survived by her nine children and their spouses, daughters: Dorothy Lieberg and Karen (Bob) Yeoman all of Havre, Linda (Donald) Denning of Kalispell, Ida (Gary) Beckman of Sparks, Nev., and Connie (Joe) Messerly of Seattle; sons: Richard (Sandi) Rienhart of Havre, William Main of Reno, Nev., Henry (Dianna) Rienhart of Bozeman, and Ralph (Ruth) Rienhart of Billings; one brother, Vernie Olson, of Climax, Saskatchewan, Canada; 17 grandchildren; and 17 greatgrandchildren.
