Ruth Klein obituary

Ruth Klein, 90, of rural Wabasha, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
Ruth Ann Miller was born on December 5, 1934, to Rosalia and Frederick Miller in Highland Township, Wabasha County, Minn. She graduated from Plainview High School. She then attended nursing school and was certified in nursing care, staying connected over all of these years to some of her good friends from nursing school.
On October 29, 1956, she married the love of her life, Gerald Klein, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in rural Kellogg. They celebrated over 61 years of marriage and together they raised their beloved family on Pepin Hill, overlooking gorgeous Lake Pepin from the top of King’s Coulee above Maple Springs. Ruth kept herself very busy raising her family of twelve children. When her kids were all grown, she filled much of her spare time reading hundreds of books.
Ruth was a devout member of St. Felix Catholic Church in Wabasha. The church was the cornerstone and foundation of her life. She loved to quilt with her friends so that they could donate their beautiful quilts to raffle at the St. Felix Fall Festival fundraiser.  In fact, on the day of her passing, she wanted to finish a few more stitches before she left her quilting group, so that she would “remember where she was for next week.”
She loved her gardens and canning vegetables, which were instrumental in raising her large family.  She gardened throughout her whole life and you could often find her tending her lovely vegetables and flowers while pruning “those pesky little weeds.”
Ruth is survived by her twelve children: Teresa Klein, St. Cloud, Minn.; Robert (Elizabeth) Klein, Hammond, Wis.; Peter Klein, Wabasha, Minn.; Daniel (Jeanette) Klein, Chatfield, Minn.; Mary (Tom) Gruenbeck, Mission Viejo, Calif.; Lisa Klein, Rochester, Minn.; Pamela White, Jean (Steve) Johnson, and Jerry Klein, all of Lake City, Minn.; Thomas Klein, Chris Klein, and Dawn (Dave) Heim, all of Wabasha, Minn.; 18 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; siblings Leo Miller, Gerald (Marilyn) Miller, James (Susan) Miller, Paul (Julie) Miller, Mark (Gayle) Miller, and sisters-in-law Sandra Miller, Viola Miller and Helen Schilz.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Gerald, grandson Garrett, son-in-law James White and siblings Fred (Marian) Miller, Francis Miller, Mary (John) Wolf, Donald (Pat) Miller, Kenneth Miller, and sister-in-law Marcine Miller.
Funeral Mass will be at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at St. Felix Catholic Church with Father Tom Loomis officiating.  Interment will follow at St. Felix Cemetery in Wabasha.
Casket bearers will be Ruth’s six sons:  Robert, Peter, Daniel, Jerry, Tom and Chris Klein.  Honorary bearers will be her grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025, at St. Felix Catholic Church in Wabasha, with the rosary at 7 p.m. Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 4 at the church.
Memorials may be directed to St. Felix Catholic Church.
Services entrusted to Abbott Funeral Home & Crematory, Wabasha, Minn. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.abbottfh.com.