Ruth Helen Nimtz

Our Lord Jesus Christ welcomed Ruth Helen Nimtz with open arms on February 21, 2023. Our loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, dearly called Ruthie and Grandma Ruth, was born on December 15, 1928, to Louis and Helen (Gangler) Weller in Fowler, Michigan. After Ruth's father, Louis, tragically died from burns in a fire, her mother decided to move back with her children to her Gangler family in the Unionville area.

Ruth attended the Lyman School in Ashmore and graduated from the 8 ^th grade. She worked in a store near her home where she met her future husband Arnold Nimtz. They were married on March 3, 1945, at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Bach and were married 55 years until his death.

Ruth and Arnie raised four children and were wonderful parents, sending them all to Immanuel Lutheran School in Sebewaing. Ruth was a hard worker. She worked at Sebewaing Industries for many years and helped out on their family farm when needed. Ruth and Arnie always had a large garden at their home in Sebewaing and at the farm, with lots of fresh vegetables, raspberries, and asparagus.

Ruth was a wonderful cook and her family loved homemade pies and dishes made from scratch. Some of her favorites were Dutch apple pie, German potato salad, Swedish meatballs, beef stew, and vegetable soup, to name a few. Ruth and Arnie were often seen in the kitchen working together cooking and baking.

Ruth and Arnie traveled to many places in their lifetime, including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Mexico, Brazil and Hawaii. They also went on many chartered bus tours in the United States on which they met many friends.

Ruth had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh. To know Ruth was to love her, and everyone liked to be around her. She was kind to everyone she met, with a smile on her face and a friendly hello.

Ruth was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and was a past member of the Ladies Aid.

Ruth was a loving and kind mother and loved being around her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was deeply loved, and will be sorely missed so much. She made wonderful memories with her family that they will always cherish.

Ruth is survived by three children: Gloria (Kerry) McKellar, Mark (Wendy) Nimtz, and JoAnn Ross; grandchildren Karissa McKellar, Travis McKellar, Dustin McKellar, Nathaniel Nimtz, Elizabeth (Alex) Wilson, Matthew Nimtz, David "D.J." (Jessica) Ross, Lisa Jo Ross, LeAnn Treder, Arick (Stacie) Schweitzer, Angela Persons; and great-grandchildren Cody Treder, Ethan Persons, Taylor Ross, and Ezra Wilson, as well as a sister Delores Dodd, son-in-law LeRoy Schweitzer, and nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband Arnold, infant son Samuel Nimtz, daughter Arlene Schweitzer, granddaughter Alyssa McKellar, and sisters and brother, Francis Barron, Agnes Schultz, Mary Ann Wood and Louis Weller.

Visitation will be at Juengel & Mellendorf Funeral Home on Friday, February 24, 2023, from 3-8pm. Funeral services will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Saturday, February 25, 2023, with Pastor Michael Boyer officiating. Visitation will begin at the church at 10am until the time of service at 11am. Burial will be in Silverlawn Cemetery, Sebewaing.

Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Many thanks go out to the staff of Charter Senior Living in Bay City, Americans Home Health & Hospice Care, and Pastor Michael Boyer for all of their loving care and prayers.