Obituary of Ruth Elizabeth Handberg

RUTH ELIZABETH (MAIN) HANDBERG, Age 94, of Duluth, MN passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Saturday, May 5th. Ruth was youngest of five children of Christina Jane, "Jennie" (Armstrong) Main and William Tecumseh Sherman Main of Cusson, and Virginia, MN. Ruth was born in Virginia and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1942. Ruth was very active in the Methodist church while growing up. She attended Virginia Junior College until the onset of WWII. She then moved to St. Paul, where she became employed by Northwest Airlines as Chief Cardex Clerk at their St. Paul Modification Center. In 1945 Ruth returned to Virginia and became employed at the Lenont Peterson Clinic. It was then that she met the love of her life, Peter Norbert Handberg. They were married in 1948 and together they raised seven children. In 1967 Ruth and Peter moved to Duluth where Peter's employment with St. Louis County took them. They had many happy years together enjoying their lake cabin near Duluth. The two also loved wintering in warm, exotic places. Ruth loved gardening, and created lovely gardens both at their cabin and at home. She was a nurturer of people, pets and plants. Ruth was a lover of music, the Arts, beauty, antiques, decorating, and all day shopping trips. She loved her family beyond words, and remained an important part in all of their lives. She was the ultimate hostess who loved to have people over. She lived a life of integrity, fairness and love. Ruth fought harder than anyone we know to reach that 95 or 100 year mark. Ruth was a member of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth for almost 50 years. She resided in her own home with family up until the end. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Peter Norbert Handberg; her parents Jennie and Sherman Main; her sister Zelma Wurdeman; brothers Samuel Main, Jay Main, and Joe "Ford" Main, and niece Phyllis (Wurdeman) Pettit. Ruth is survived by her children: Peter M. Handberg and Sherman J. Handberg both of Duluth; Christine Halverson (Bob) of New Hope; Mary S. Hartje of Brooklyn Center; Janice E. Tokarczyk (Tom) of Sturgeon Lake; Beverly A. Amick (Bret) of Duluth; and Ruthann Weelborg (Bart) of St. Peter. In addition, Ruth is survived by her thirteen grandchildren: Emily Rose of Duluth; Jennifer Gutowski (Josh), Duluth; Jessica Jensen (Clark), Moose Lake; Pearl Schulte (Glenn), Cromwell; Bret Amick Jr., Duluth; Stefanie Amick, Duluth; Natalie Weelborg, Minneapolis; Rachel Weelborg, Saint Paul; Sophia Weelborg, Saint Peter; along with Rita Hartje of Kunming, China; Zoe Gilbert (Jamie) of Rome, NY; Gwenivere Hartje of Stewartstown, PA; and Augustus Hartje of Holland-Patent, NY. Ruth was very proud of her fifteen great-grandchildren as well. They range from age three to age twenty-two! Ruth also is survived by many nieces and nephews who always meant the world to her, along with many wonderful close neighbors and friends. A special thank you to Dr. Joseph Howard for always being there for Ruth and the family. Funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, May 26, with visitation at 1:00 and the service beginning at 2:00 at Cremation Society in Duluth.