Mary Ruddy

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Faith Ruddy will be held on Friday, August 31, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton, ND with Rev. Dale F. Lagodinski officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5:00-8:00 P.M with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer Service, all at St. John's Church. There will also be visitation at the church Friday morning 1 hour prior to the funeral. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Wahpeton.

Mom passed August 27th. After 102 years her body wore out from cooking for threshing crews as a teen, playing baseball (with her sister Kate) on the Buchanan, ND high school team, being a farm wife who also ran Neva Beauty Shop until her fifth of six kids was born, stooping to pick strawberries, kneeling at work and prayer, whipping up 1000's of pancakes and diverse meals, giving to her community by acts of social justice and compassion.

Born on their farm five miles west of Courtney, ND, a farm they "lost", she was one of nine siblings, of Andrew Neva and Jeannie (Sonsalla). Mom is survived by two "baby" brothers, Al at 91 and Oscar at 98. She joined her mother in life-long devotion to their Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mom moved to Wahpeton in 1938, her brother, Roman, being a priest at St. John's Church. She was eventually joined by four other siblings: Elizabeth (Lockhart), Katherine (Benda), Florence (Pinski), and Oscar.

She married George Ruddy in 1941, farming 3 miles west of town. They conscientiously reared their children and supported each other. She was remarkable in hosting innumerable relatives for days or weeks at a time who came to reconnect to their roots at the Ruddy farmstead or to keep ties with Mom's Polish roots in the Arcadia, WI, area. Dad passed in 1982.

Known as a skilled cook, she routinely created meals of perfection to everyone's standard but her own, always countering praise with one way it could be better next time. She love hunting new recipes and sharing them.

Mom valued adding an esthetic flourish to her life, e.g., the latest craft project from her "homemakers' group; appointing the holiday table with her special china and silver; wearing her seal skin coat; finding a Pasque flower Easter morning or collecting Prairie' Roses on the roadside ditches.

Whist was her card game and she was very sharp at it, always knowing what cards were still at play and what specific cards were held days earlier. She was formidable in the Center Township Whist Club and looked forward to hosting her Sunday evening turn.

Mom leaves her grateful "kids": Patrick (Boise, ID), Tom ( with Iris, of Mesa, AZ), Greg (with Barb, of Fargo, ND), Mark (with Patty, of Eau Claire, WI), Peter (with Ann, of Lewistown, MT), Georgia (Lenzmeier, with Craig of McCall, ID). Her admirers include many nieces and nephews, 9 grandchildren, 5 1/3 great-grandchildren, and many who shared her path.

Mary's Celebration of Life Mass will be Friday, 10:30, at St. John's Catholic Church in Wahpeton, ND. Visitation will be the evening before, from 5 to 8, also at the Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to either the Richland/Wilkin Food Pantry or the Carmelite Monastery near the Farm, continuing Mom's trait of loving through food served and prayer offered.