Ruth V. Roland

Ruth V. Roland, age 90, of Rochester, formerly of Mazeppa died on Wednesday, October 4, 2011 at Sunrise Cottages in Rochester. The funeral service will be held on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 2:00 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church in Mazeppa with Reverend Alan Horn officiating. Burial will be in Mazeppa Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Ruth Valeria Goetsch was born on August 24, 1921 in a log cabin on the Goetsch family farm in Mazeppa Township, Wabasha Co., MN to Otto F. and Eliese H. (nee Ploenert) Goetsch. She grew up in rural Mazeppa and graduated from Mazeppa High School in 1939. She graduated from Red Wing Teachers training in 1940 and started teaching in country schools in the Mazeppa area. On March 3, 1944 she married James D. Roland in Mazeppa. After teaching in country schools for fourteen years, Ruth started teaching second grade in Pine Island. While teaching in Pine Island, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Education and later her Master's Degree from Winona State College. Ruth retired in 1989 after teaching for forty-seven years. Ruth was a member of the MEA, NEA, Smithsonian Institute and St. John's Lutheran Church. She enjoyed latch hooking, word puzzles, reading, bird watching, traveling, astronomy, fishing, hunting and dancing. Ruth is survived by her husband, James of Rochester; son, John (Beverly) Roland of Minneapolis; daughters, Susanne (Gary) Sheehan of Oronoco and Rosalie Roland of Rochester; grandchildren, Danielle (John) Pedretti, Katie (Craig) Nagel, Christopher Sheehan, Stephanie Klennert-Taylor, Eliese (Brad) Nelson, Amanda Klennert, Anthony (Jenny) Klennert, Charles Klennert and Mollie Klennert; and fourteen great-grandchildren. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents and a half-sister, Cecelia Ondler. Memorials are preferred to the family. Arrangements are with the Mahn Family Funeral Home - Larson Chapel in Zumbrota.