Ruth Eleanor Lage, daughter of John and Addie Mae (Furman) Lage, was born on January 13, 1918 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She died on October 3, 2020, at the Augustana Regent Senior Living Community in Burnsville, Minnesota. She celebrated her 102nd birthday earlier this year.

When Ruth was 2 1/2 years old, her parents died of tuberculosis and she went to live with her Uncle and Aunt, Alfred and Minnie Lage, on the Lage family farm near Manning, Iowa. She attended country school in Iowa Township and graduated from Manning High School in 1936. After graduation, Ruth went to Los Angeles, California to work in a downtown department store. As the threat of war grew, she returned to Iowa and worked as a bookkeeper for the Rural Electric Association in Denison.

On November 7, 1943, Ruth was married to Ernest J. Nissen at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning. During WWII, Ernest was in the Army Air Force and was killed on June 9, 1944.

Ruth was blessed with a second marriage to Elden J. Schroeder on April 21, 1946. Ruth and Elden lived in Carroll, Iowa for three years, where Ruth worked at the Carroll Sale Barn and the Farner-Bocken company. In 1949 they purchased a Culligan Soft Water business and moved back to Manning. They raised their four children, David, Sara, Paul, and Daniel, in Manning. Ruth worked as a cook in the Manning Schools and then at the Manning Pharmacy. Elden died on November 20, 1978. In 2001 Ruth moved to Burnsville, Minnesota to be closer to family.

Throughout her years in Manning, Ruth was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and was active in the Women's Guild. She was also a member of the VFW and American Legion Women's Auxiliary. Ruth enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, sewing, working on crafts, including ceramics, knitting, and needlework, traveling, volunteering at the Senior Center in Manning and in Burnsville, and wintering in Arizona.

Ruth is preceded in death by her loving family, including grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, sisters, and cousins by birth and marriage, most recently her nieces, Norma Jackson Palda and Sharon Schroeder, and her sister, Marian Lage Jackson.

She is survived by her children: David Schroeder of Eugene, Oregon; Sara Schroeder and her husband, Jake Fryar, of Seattle, Washington; Paul Schroeder and his wife, Barbara, of Bend, Oregon; and Dan Schroeder and his wife, Patti, of Savage, Minnesota. Grandchildren include Kiley Holforty and her husband, Josh, Collin Schroeder, Kenzie Schroeder, and Robbie Carrasco, and Great grandchildren Ada Ruth, Ellis, and Lyle Holforty. She is also survived by nieces, including Marian Jackson, Diane Janning, Jeri Coleman, and Kim Nobiling and many cousins.

Two years ago many of you helped her celebrate her 100th birthday, which brought her great joy and many wonderful memories. Many thanks!

Because of COVID-19, no funeral services for Ruth will be held at this time. A memorial service will be announced at a future date.