Obituary: Ruth E. Liimatta

As received from Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service:

UPDATE: A Celebration of the lives of Rev. Elmer Liimatta who passed away March 31, 2023, and his wife Ruth Liimatta who passed away March 18, 2023, and their son Steven Liimatta, who passed away January 28, 2022, will be held 11:00 am Friday, June 23, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Church of Hancock with Pastors Jesse Aho and Bruce Bergstedt to officiate.

Ruth Esther (Tapio) Liimatta was born May 19, 1933, at the family farm in Klingville, Michigan, the daughter of John and Hilda (Puuri) Tapio. She passed away peacefully March 18, 2023 as a resident in the Canal View–Houghton County Medical Care Facility. Her husband Elmer Russell Liimatta passed away 13 days later as a resident of Canal View as well. As they walked and loved together thru a long life, they crossed to their eternal Heavenly home together as well.

Ruth was very proud of her family of five sons: Daniel, Jeffrey, Steven (“Jake” deceased), Kevin (daughter-in-law Kathleen Rokala), and Mark. Elmer said he never forgot the proud and happy look on Ruth’s face every time she had a new baby to introduce to the Church congregation. She had five sisters–all deceased, Mildred L. Tikkanen, Helen Juntunen, Alice Kerr, Verna Storm, and five brothers–all deceased, Paul Tapio, Albert Tapio, Edwin Tapio, Alden Tapio, and Roy Tapio. She is survived by brother- and sister-in-laws Jim Kerr, Ken Storm, June Tapio, and Shirley Tapio.

Ruth Esther was named after the two books of the Old Testament. She was born so small that she was not expected to live long. The family kept her warm in her first infant days on the open door of the wood-fired kitchen oven. It’s noted that a neighbor saw her and said, “Those kind don’t live long. “ She was stubborn and showed everyone her Finnish “Sisu” by surviving and growing. That was her nature—she was tough but very caring and loving at the same time. She pushed against the odds to build a good life and home for her family wherever they were at the time.

Ruth and her nine brothers and sisters grew up on the family strawberry farm in Klingville, and she admitted she was a “competitive strawberry picker.” She graduated from Chassell High School June, 1951. She went on to start working at Portage Coal in Ripley as an office worker. Ruth met her future husband, Elmer R. Liimatta in Hancock, not long before he was drafted for the Korean War in 1952. She was united in marriage to Elmer December 19, 1954, in Hancock, Michigan by Rev. Andrew Mickelsen at the Franklin Apostolic Lutheran Church. Elmer studied and graduated from Suomi (Finlandia) College and the young couple moved to Detroit in 1956 to begin working as the Pastor and wife for the Detroit Apostolic Lutheran Church. The Church moved to Southfield in 1962 where Ruth and Elmer would serve the church until retiring in August 1995.

In her life, Ruth served in many roles in the church, including teaching Sunday school at summer vacation Bible school. Ruth and Elmer hosted a monthly Southfield Police jail bible service for prisoners while Elmer was the Southfield Police Chaplain for several decades. Ruth also worked as a teacher’s aide at Perry Kay Nursery School, and later worked for a local Southfield business as the office administrator. When they retired from the Church, they moved back to Chassell in August 1995. During forty years at the Church, she served as a Pastor’s wife, Sunday school teacher and superintendent, pianist, kitchen leader, and a host of other roles.

Throughout all of their living years, Ruth and Elmer held on to a marriage life verse that says: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21. We celebrate the life eternal that Ruth showed us and continues to live in Heaven. She served all with her loving care and left everyone feeling loved.

The family would like to thank the Southfield Apostolic Church and the Alston, Atlantic Mine, Bruce Crossing, and Zion Lutheran Apostolic Church congregations for allowing mom and dad to serve them periodically in the last 25 years. The family would also like to thank the staff at UP Home Health and

Hospice and the staff at Canal View—Houghton County Medical Care Facility for their care and support. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would encourage donations to Zion Lutheran Church—Camp Lahti, in Hancock, Michigan, the Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hancock, Michigan, or the Copper Country Habitat for Humanity, also in Hancock.

A combined “Celebration of Life” Service for Elmer, Ruth, and brother Steve (Jake) is planned for Friday June 23, 2023 at 11:00 am at Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock, Michigan.

To view Ruth’s obituary or to send condolences to the family please visit www.memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Chassell Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements.