Ruth Rawlings

Ruth Herta Rawlings, age 92 of Belle Plaine passed away on Monday, August 15, 2022, at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. There will be a memorial service at 11a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine. Rev. Daniel Slaughter will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday morning. There will be an additional memorial service at 12:30p.m. on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Lombard, IL, with a visitation from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. prior to the service at church, followed by a graveside service at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Bensenville, IL.

Ruth was born on July 23, 1930, to Otto and Frieda Waldschmidt in Chicago, IL. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Chicago. Ruth married Grover Thompson in 1951 and later divorced. Ruth married Paul Rawlings on October 9, 1965.

Ruth was saved by God’s grace and was a faithful servant of Jesus. She showed God’s love in everything she did, from sharing God’s word with everyone she met to forgiving others. She grew up in a close-knit family of German immigrants, with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in frequent contact. She often recalled memories of family parties. Ruth and Paul married in 1965, melding two families, and in 1970 and 1973 added two more to the mix. They lived in Bensenville, IL, until 1977 when they moved to Medinah, IL. Paul passed away in 2007 and Ruth moved to Minnesota in 2015 to live near Kristin and her family. In 2016 she moved in with Kristin and lived there until her passing. Ruth enjoyed reading, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends. She had a beautiful flower garden to enjoy at her home in Minnesota.

Ruth is preceded in death by her husband Paul Rawlings, daughters Robin Bitter and Paula Kaiser, son-in-law Ingo Werner, son-in-law Bill Kaiser, daughter-in-law Emily Rawlings, brother Ron Waldschmidt, parents Otto and Frieda.

Ruth is survived by son Tim (Ania) Rawlings, Kristin (Brett) Kruschke, son-in-law Gary Bitter, grandchildren Steven (Katie) Kaiser, Paul (Dawn) Kaiser, Hope Bitter, Adriana Werner, Willy Werner, Sophie Werner, great grandchildren Bryce, Brynn, Bree ,sister-in-law Marion (Eich) Waldschmidt, sister-in-law Marion (Brown) Waldschmidt, and cousins, nieces, and nephews.