Fergus Falls Journal
Marjorie Ruth Jorgens
1931-2022
Marjorie Ruth “Ruth” Jorgens passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at her residence in Osakis, Minnesota. She was 91.
She was born Marjorie Ruth Zeiler in Brighton, Colorado, on March 1, 1931, the fourth of seven children, to John Zeiler Jr. and Catherine Marie (Geringer) Zeiler. She grew up in Brighton and graduated from high school there. While working as a waitress at Jack’s Cafe in Brighton, Ruth met Gerald Ivan Jorgens, a frequent customer. They married at the Brighton Zion Lutheran Church on October 2, 1949.
They moved to a farm near Gerald’s parents’ home in rural Bertha, Minnesota, and lived there for a number of years, except for a short period of time spent in Colorado. The couple moved to Gerald’s hometown of Elbow Lake, Minnesota, in 1966, and later to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in 1993. Ruth continued to live in Fergus Falls after Gerald’s death in 1998. She moved to an Osakis, Minnesota, senior facility in 2021.
Ruth is survived by her four children: Katherine Massee of Emmet, ID; Janice Jorgens (Scott Linge) of Crystal, MN; Gayle Jorgens (Stanley Wai) of Minneapolis, MN; and Phyllis (Duane) Krautbauer of Osakis, MN; and three grandchildren: Craig Massee (partner Angela French) of Star, ID; Kerstin Krautbauer (partner David Wrightsman) of New York, NY; and Kallie (Tyler) Nelson of Minneapolis, MN.
She is also survived by her brother Robert (Nance) Zeiler, brother-in-law Thomas (Michal) Jorgens; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sisters Helen (Fred) Carlson, Margaret (Glenn “Jim”) Morris, Mildred (Fred “Harley”) Thaden, Shirley (Melvin) Antill, and Beverly (Elmer) Wagner, and their spouses; sisters-in-law Almyra (John Sr. “Jack”) Kapphahn, Helen (Harold) Melchert, and their spouses; and son-in-law, Douglas Massee.
Ruth’s interest in cooking and food service began as a teenager when she waitressed at the Hotel LaBonte in Douglas, Wyoming. In the early years of their marriage, Ruth and Gerald farmed, and during that time Ruth created many homemade farm-to-table meals for her young family. She worked as an assistant and then as head cook at the Elbow Lake-Wendell school from the late 1960s to mid 1980s, and then she served as a deli clerk at the More 4 grocery store in Fergus Falls in the 1990s until her retirement.
Ruth was fond of gardening, and she appreciated fresh garden vegetables and well-prepared food. She faithfully watched Julia Child and other cooking shows. Together with her husband, she enjoyed fishing, playing cards, and good times with family and friends. Ruth and her family cherished visits to her relatives in Colorado.
She loved the thrill of a tight horse race, and in retirement she became an avid fan of spectator golf. In her 70s, she developed profound hearing loss. To better communicate, at age 81 she learned how to send phone texts and emails, and frequently sent enjoyable messages to family and friends. Ruth was practical and resourceful, wary of pageantry and pretense.
At her request, no funeral services are planned. There will be a private burial, where she will be laid to rest next to Gerald at Ness Cemetery in rural Elbow Lake, Minnesota. The family thanks the Knute Nelson Home Care & Hospice and West View Assisted Living Apartments staff who cared for Ruth in her last days. The family requests that memorials be directed to the Ness Cemetery.
1931-2022
Marjorie Ruth “Ruth” Jorgens passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at her residence in Osakis, Minnesota. She was 91.
She was born Marjorie Ruth Zeiler in Brighton, Colorado, on March 1, 1931, the fourth of seven children, to John Zeiler Jr. and Catherine Marie (Geringer) Zeiler. She grew up in Brighton and graduated from high school there. While working as a waitress at Jack’s Cafe in Brighton, Ruth met Gerald Ivan Jorgens, a frequent customer. They married at the Brighton Zion Lutheran Church on October 2, 1949.
They moved to a farm near Gerald’s parents’ home in rural Bertha, Minnesota, and lived there for a number of years, except for a short period of time spent in Colorado. The couple moved to Gerald’s hometown of Elbow Lake, Minnesota, in 1966, and later to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in 1993. Ruth continued to live in Fergus Falls after Gerald’s death in 1998. She moved to an Osakis, Minnesota, senior facility in 2021.
Ruth is survived by her four children: Katherine Massee of Emmet, ID; Janice Jorgens (Scott Linge) of Crystal, MN; Gayle Jorgens (Stanley Wai) of Minneapolis, MN; and Phyllis (Duane) Krautbauer of Osakis, MN; and three grandchildren: Craig Massee (partner Angela French) of Star, ID; Kerstin Krautbauer (partner David Wrightsman) of New York, NY; and Kallie (Tyler) Nelson of Minneapolis, MN.
She is also survived by her brother Robert (Nance) Zeiler, brother-in-law Thomas (Michal) Jorgens; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sisters Helen (Fred) Carlson, Margaret (Glenn “Jim”) Morris, Mildred (Fred “Harley”) Thaden, Shirley (Melvin) Antill, and Beverly (Elmer) Wagner, and their spouses; sisters-in-law Almyra (John Sr. “Jack”) Kapphahn, Helen (Harold) Melchert, and their spouses; and son-in-law, Douglas Massee.
Ruth’s interest in cooking and food service began as a teenager when she waitressed at the Hotel LaBonte in Douglas, Wyoming. In the early years of their marriage, Ruth and Gerald farmed, and during that time Ruth created many homemade farm-to-table meals for her young family. She worked as an assistant and then as head cook at the Elbow Lake-Wendell school from the late 1960s to mid 1980s, and then she served as a deli clerk at the More 4 grocery store in Fergus Falls in the 1990s until her retirement.
Ruth was fond of gardening, and she appreciated fresh garden vegetables and well-prepared food. She faithfully watched Julia Child and other cooking shows. Together with her husband, she enjoyed fishing, playing cards, and good times with family and friends. Ruth and her family cherished visits to her relatives in Colorado.
She loved the thrill of a tight horse race, and in retirement she became an avid fan of spectator golf. In her 70s, she developed profound hearing loss. To better communicate, at age 81 she learned how to send phone texts and emails, and frequently sent enjoyable messages to family and friends. Ruth was practical and resourceful, wary of pageantry and pretense.
At her request, no funeral services are planned. There will be a private burial, where she will be laid to rest next to Gerald at Ness Cemetery in rural Elbow Lake, Minnesota. The family thanks the Knute Nelson Home Care & Hospice and West View Assisted Living Apartments staff who cared for Ruth in her last days. The family requests that memorials be directed to the Ness Cemetery.
