Ruth A. "Ruthie" Bortnem was born to John A. and Tena (Dahl) Eggebraaten on June 21, 1918 at their farm in Summit Township in Lake County, South Dakota. She died on March 28, 2011 at the age of 92 years and 9 months at the Brookview Manor in Brookings, SD. Ruth was born the twelfth of thirteen children and is one of the ten children who lived to adulthood. Baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Lake Campbell Lutheran Church, she remained an active member for her entire life. Ruth daily demonstrated her faith in her Lord and Savior. Ruth received her elementary education at Washington School #18 in rural Lake County, near her parents' farm. She graduated in 1937 from Brookings High School, where she participated in many extracurricular activities including drama, vocal and band groups, and athletics. After graduation, she was a bookkeeper and secretary for Service Grocery, and a secretary for Attorney Schaphorst in Brookings. Ruth married Harris W. Bortnem, on June 21, 1939 at Lake Campbell Lutheran Church. Ruth worked alongside Harris on their small, diversified farm near the church. Together, they faithfully and lovingly raised their three children, Eileen, Ralph, and Mark, and attended church regularly. Ruth supported her children in their church, 4-H, and school activities, encouraging creativity and perseverance. She made time to nurture a flower garden and yard and loved to cook and sew. As often as possible over many years, she visited her adult children, grandchildren, and her extended family in South Dakota and elsewhere. For decades Ruth diligently maintained the formal written lineage for her father's family, and she published and distributed current versions to family members. She took two trips with family to Europe, including Scandinavia from which her father's and mother's families emigrated. After moving from the farm to Brookings, Ruth worked at Midtex where she assembled electrical relays for about eight years. She befriended SDSU foreign students and their families. Then she worked as a Senior Companion for 18 years in the Brookings-Volga area, selflessly caring for her clients until her health began to fail at age 86. Ruth was the secretary-treasurer of her townhouse association in Brookings for about two decades. She enjoyed caring for her flowers at her home. Written history was one of her special interests. She learned how to play the guitar. At the church, Ruth sang in the ladies' chorus, rang in the bell choir, taught Sunday School and was Superintendent, participated in women's groups and held offices in them, and prepared and presented programs at nursing homes for many years. She carefully prepared and presented radio programs for the Christian Womens Hour on KBRK Radio for many years. She designed and constructed many large Christian-theme banners which have been used at the church for nearly forty years. After suffering strokes in late 2004 and in early 2007, Ruth's conversation ability was diminished, but her current and past memories of family and events remained very solid. She made her home in assisted-living facilities in Brookings for about six years and continued to live a fulfilling life, with supportive and loving family and friends close by her side. She was preceded in death by her parents, twelve siblings, and her husband. She is survived by her three children: Eileen (James) Klein of Prescott, AZ; Ralph Bortnem of Kent, WA and Brookings, SD; Mark (Janet) Bortnem of Newberg, OR. She is survived by two grandchildren in California: Eric and Julie Klein; three grandchildren in Oregon: Nathan (Addie) Bortnem, Grant (Megan) Bortnem, Luke Bortnem; three great-grandchildren in Oregon: Jameson and Jackson Bortnem, and Colby Bortnem. She is survived by two sisters-in-law: Velma Eggebraaten of Oregon and Drusilla Ness of Colorado, and by many nieces and nephews.