Ruth Margaret Lemke, 76, of Glencoe

Ruth Margaret (Proehl) Lemke, 76, of Glencoe, died Monday, April 3, 2017, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Funeral services were held Friday, April 7, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe with the Rev. Ronald Mathison officiating. Jan Heins was the organist. Soloist Justin Rierson sang “The Lord’s Prayer.” Congregational hymns were “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “Jesus, Still Lead On.”
Honorary casket bearers were Mrs. Lemke’s grandchildren, Ashley Dammann, Jackson Lemke, Katelyn Lemke and Rebecca Dammann. Casket bearers were Joel Lemke, Tim Proehl, Merlin Schramm, John Herman, Brian Jilek and Greg Bartz.
Interment was in the church cemetery.
Ruth Margaret (Proehl) Lemke was born Jan. 8, 1941, in Glencoe Township, the oldest child of Raymond and Margaret (Bartz) Proehl. She was baptized as an infant Jan. 26, 1941, by the Rev. Julius Dysterheft at her home in Glencoe, and was confirmed in her faith as a youth May 29, 1955, by the Rev. Harold A. Bode at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. She received her education in Glencoe, graduating with the Glencoe High School class of 1959. She continued her education by attending Concordia College in St. Paul, where she received a teaching degree.
On Jan. 2, 1965, she was united in marriage to Loren Lemke by the Rev. Perlich at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe. Their life was blessed with two children, Sara and Paul. In her early years, she made her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and then, after her marriage, she and her husband made their home in Glencoe. The couple shared 30 years of marriage before Mr. Lemke died on Dec. 1, 1995. In 2012, when she needed assistance with her daily care, she became a resident of Grand Meadows in Glencoe.
Mrs. Lemke was a teacher at Good Shepherd Lutheran School in Las Vegas, Nevada, Zion Lutheran School in Green Isle, and First Lutheran School in Glencoe, where she also worked as a cook. She worked as a teacher’s aide at Helen Baker Elementary School in Glencoe and was known as “Grandma Ruth.” She worked at Glencoe High School as a laundry lady and seamstress, at Pamida, and volunteered at the Glencoe hospital. She was a member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe, where she attended Bible study.
Mrs. Lemke was a caring and giving person. She enjoyed reading, sewing and crocheting. She cherished the time spent with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Brian Dammann of Glencoe; son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Amy Lemke of Glencoe; grandchildren, Ashley Dammann, Jackson Lemke, Katelyn Lemke and Rebecca Dammann; special friend, Roger Cohrs; brothers and their wives, Leslie and Ann Proehl of Jacksonville, Florida, and Marvin and Karen Proehl of Nampa, Idaho; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Vernon Lemke of Mille Lacs and LaJean Herman of Princeton; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Margaret Proehl; husband, Loren Lemke; brother, Dale Proehl; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Delores and Ruben Vollrath, Mardell Lemke and Harlan Herman.
Arrangements were with the Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel in Glencoe. Online obituaries and guest book are available at www.mcbridechapel.com.