Third Generation

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Obituary Notes: "Ruth Ann Strozinsky, age 101, of Tomah, passed away on Monday, Sept. 13, 2004, at the Blue Sky Assisted Living Facility in Warrens. She was born on Jan. 7, 1903, on the family farm near Wilton, to Elizabeth (Howie) and Charles Strozinsky. Early in life Ruth Ann decided to dedicate her life to being an educator. To achieve her high school diploma, it was necessary for her to walk the six miles from the farm to Wilton each day and return the six miles in the evening. High school education was not considered important in those days, and there were no vehicles other than horses for transportation; the horses were usually busy doing farm work.

Upon receiving her teaching certificate, her first assignment was to the one-room schoolhouse still standing today as a remodeled private residence across the road from the family farm. Several years later, Ruth Ann continued her education and graduated with a major in English and a minor in Speech from UW-La Crosse. She did post-graduate work at Lewis & Clark University, Vancouver University and Purdue University. Her many hundreds of students over the years were "her children" as she never found the time to marry. She taught her "family" the "King's English" in an aggressive manner for over 70 years of dedicated commitment to those students. Teaching English to foreign students as a second language for several years at UW-La Crosse was a most challenging and rewarding experience according to Ruth Ann. She retired from her last responsibility as a GED English Educator.

Ruth Ann's community service included the following: Vice-President of Western Area Agency on Aging, member of Wisconsin Network Policy Committee and Governing Board of Wisconsin Coalition on Aging, Chairman of District 5 (7 counties) Western Wisconsin Coalition on Aging, Secretary of the Tomah Housing Authority and Community Block Grant Committee, Chairman Advisory Committee of Monroe County Services for Aging and Long Term Care. She began working with programs for the elderly in 1973 and was chosen "one of the nation's 10 most admired senior citizens" in 1981. Being chosen as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1981 and receiving the Wisconsin Life Achievement Award for Outstanding Service to the Elderly in 1983 were highlights of her advocacy role in later years.

As a dedicated conservative, she was a loyal member of the Republican Party, although she admitted she often supported and voted for the best-qualified candidate in a bipartisan fashion.

Ruth Ann was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church of Tomah. In recent years she attended regular Sunday services thanks to the kindness of church parishioners Dr. Floyd and Mrs. Weatherford. They were so kind as to transport Ruth to and from their church.

Ruth Ann was preceded in death by her parents; her two brothers, Robert and Irvine; and a good friend of many years Gordon Milsop.

She is survived locally by her two nephews, Hollis (Val) Strozinsky of Tomah and Lee (Dorothy) Strozinsky of Onalaska, plus a large extended family from her parents in the Howie and Strozinsky relationship living around this area and from coast to coast. She leaves many friends at city, county, state and national level as she served on the numerous committees over the years.

Ruth Ann's passing brings to mind a brief from an anonymous writer called "The Dash". "I read of a person who stood to speak, at the funeral of a friend. They referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… To the end.

It was noted that first came the date of birth and then spoke the final date with tears of sadness. But, then said what mattered most of all was the DASH between those years…

For the DASH represented all the time that the person had spent alive on earth…

and now only those who loved that person know what that little line was worth…

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars, the house, the cash. What matters now is how we lived and loved, and how we spent our DASH…"

Ruth Ann Strozinsky lived her DASH to the fullest with almost a century of service to what she loved, her opportunity to educate and serve the community. Her physician Dr. Erdman, Angie RN, Rose RN, caregiver Janice and others too numerous to mention were so helpful and appreciated as Ruth Ann completed her journey on earth.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. at the First United Congregational Church in Tomah. Pastor Edwin Stigen will officiate. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Tomah. Family and friends are invited for visitation on Tuesday, from 9 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Ruth Ann can be remembered for her positive, "I can take care of that myself" attitude during her lifetime of teaching and community service to the day Jesus took her hand. Memorials may be given to the church or to Tomah Hospice. The Torkelson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements."

. She was buried on 21 September 2004 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.