Ruth Esther Lamb

Ruth Esther (Paull) Lamb passed away peacefully on May 25, 2018, one day after her 90th birthday. She was living at Evergreen Living Center in St. Ignace where she had resided since October, 2017. Ruth was born to Edward and Agnes (Schoenow) Paull on May 24, 1928, in a log house on the family farm in Hawks, Michigan. She was raised along with her four siblings experiencing all that country living offered. She attended the nearby one room schoolhouse through eighth grade and then transferred to Rogers City High School, graduating in 1946. Ruth enjoyed being outdoors, cutting cedar boughs to buy her wedding dress and later, working with her close friend and sister-in-law Tracy, collecting thistles to sell for thistle tea. She married her husband, Harlan H. Lamb, on June 21, 1947, at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Hawks. Over the following nearly seventy one years of marriage, they experienced challenge, change and celebration. All served as examples to their children that life is meant to be experienced, celebrating the blessings and meeting the challenges with resolve. Ruth is survived by her husband, Harlan Henry Lamb; ten children, Jeffrey (Carol) Lamb of Pickford, Michael Lamb of Lansing, Michigan, David (Debra) Lamb of Pickford, Elizabeth (Bill) Crawford of Frankfort, Michigan, Thomas (Patti) Lamb of Pickford, Katherine (Keith) Krahnke of Pickford, Matthew (Alison) Lamb of Pickford, Peter (Marni) Lamb of Pickford, Patricia Lamb of Pickford, and Joanna (Glen) Magrane of Menominee, Michigan; 25 grandchildren, Patrick (Kim) Lamb , Laura (Jason Kvam) Williams, Patrisio (Devona) Lamb, Sarah (Todd) Hipps, Emily (Danny) Tomasi, Kevin Crawford, Jeffrey (Nicole Vaillant) Crawford, Erica (Meaghan Roeters) Crawford, Adam (Erin Seiler) Crawford, Robert (Kara) Lamb, Christopher (April) Lamb, Mark (Misty Shaw) Lamb, Jason (Sara) Krahnke, Melissa (Eric Toffey) Krahnke, Andrew (Devon Lewis) Krahnke, Lindsay (Micah) Brindley, Meredith (Gene) Korn, Matthew (Erin) Lamb Jr., Sean Lamb, Joseph, Jacob, Megan, Anna, Laura and Rachel Magrane; and 34 great grandchildren. Ruth is also survived by her sister, Kathleen Wagner of Hawks, Michigan and many nieces and nephews. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, Dorothy Kretschmar and Carl and Erhardt Paull; Harlan’s parents, Leonard and Laura Lamb; and daughter-in-law, Georgia (Sims) Lamb. Ruth lived the majority of her married years in the Upper Peninsula with the exception of several years spent in Conneaut, Ohio. While in Conneaut, she worked as head of the housekeeping and laundry departments at Brown Memorial Hospital. She was also employed for many years as a cook at both Pickford Public Schools and Lake Superior State University. Ruth was a very nurturing, kind and thoughtful woman. She enjoyed interacting with people, both those she knew and strangers she encountered in the course of living her life. They weren’t strangers for long. Putting the water on for coffee or throwing an extra potato in the kettle when unexpected company joined the family for a meal were common occurrences in the household. She sewed countless flannel nightgowns for the babies in her life, both children and grandchildren, knitted hundreds of pairs of bootees and mittens and planned countless baptism, confirmation, graduation and wedding celebrations. She was known for her superior cooking and baking skills. While impossible to calculate the number of meals she prepared and served over the years, it is most certainly an impressive number. Her devotion to her family was boundless and is mirrored in the close ties that bound her large clan to her and continue to bind them to each other. Ruth was a long-time member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Cedarville, Michigan, serving as church organist for many years. A strong faith was a cornerstone of her life and she ensured that she passed that faith on to her children. In the words of her granddaughter, Meredith, “With Grandpa, she faithfully led her family with grace and a servant heart. After 90 years of abundant life in Christ here, she leaves us with an exceptional legacy of love.” Ruth’s family wishes to thank Dr. John Stephenson and the staff of Evergreen Living Center for the compassionate care provided to Ruth during the last months of her life and for the understanding and support extended to her family. The family also wishes to thank Dr. Robert Mackie and the staff of Riverside Medical Associates for the fine care provided to Ruth in years past and for their unflagging support of the family’s efforts to care for Ruth at home as long as possible. The family was and is deeply appreciative of all. Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 30 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at R. Galer Funeral Home, 24549 S. M-129 in Pickford. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 31, at 11:00 A.M. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 217 N. M-129 in Cedarville, Michigan. There will visitation at the church for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Cottle Cemetery in Marquette Township in Pickford. Memorials may be directed to Bethel Lutheran Church, 217 N. M-129, Cedarville, MI 49719.

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Ruth Esther Lamb

May 24, 1928 - May 25, 2018