Ruth Harstad

Ruth Harstad, formerly of Barrett, died Friday, August 2, 2019 in Red Wing, MN at the age of 75 years.

Ruth Ann was born January 8, 1944 in Alexandria, MN to George and Marvel (Sletto) Pipo. She attended District # 5 rural country school in Moe Township and graduated class of 1963 from Barrett High School.

On June 8, 1963, Ruth married Emmett James Harstad at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Barrett. The couple are the parents of three children, Daniel, Steve and Jason. In 1966, the family moved to Oklahoma for ten years where Ruth worked as a Nurses Aid. They later moved to Virginia where Ruth worked as a Daycare provider.  The family later moved back to Barrett where she worked as a TMA at the Barrett Care Center for over 35 years and lately worked at Highway Amoco in Evansville. Ruth also bred and raised poodles.

Ruth’s interests included feeding the birds and bird watching, canning, cooking, baking, flowers and her vegetable gardens. She sewed quilts and made many of the clothes early on for her children. Ruth enjoyed family traditions such as making her special treats for Christmas or making donuts for her deer hunters. She always was there to lend a helping hand, putting others before herself. Ruth cherished her time spent with family and friends and looked forward to getting together for her yearly class reunions. In her younger years she spent many hours driving through the blue ridge mountains or going to Virginia Beach. God bless the memory of Ruth A. Harstad.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, George and Marvel (Sletto) Pipo; husband, Emmett Harstad; sisters, Mary and baby girl Pipo; a niece, Tabitha Crawshaw and a nephew, Jesse Pipo.

She is survived by her three sons, Daniel (Kris) Harstad and Steve (Vanessa) Harstad all of Red Wing, MN  and Jason (Jenny) Harstad of Eagan, MN ; granddaughters, Bailey and Sophia; grandsons, Caleb (Bethany), Isaac (Kelsey), Luke, Noah and Wyatt; great-granddaughter, Evalyn Harstad; siblings, Paul Pipo of Fergus Falls, MN, Marlys (James) Fulwood of Oklahoma City, OK, Gabriel (Diane) Pipo of Garfield, MN, Laurene (Roger) Hoke of Ardmore, OK and Ardell Bolles of Evansville, MN, along with numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Funeral Service: 11:00 AM, Friday, August 9, 2019 at Lincoln Lutheran Church, Hoffman

Visitation: 5:00 – 7:00 PM Thursday, at Erickson-Smith Funeral Home, Elbow Lake with a 6:30 PM Prayer Service

Clergy: Reverend Michael Nelson

Interment: Vinger Cemetery, Donnelly, MN

Lunch will be served at Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, rural Donnelly, following the Committal Service.

Arrangements are with Erickson-Smith Funeral Home of Elbow Lake.

Online condolences: www.EricksonSmithFH.com