Ruth Elsie Goeden

Ruth Elsie Goeden passed away on March 9, 2025, at the age of 95 with her daughter Karen and her special friend Ginny by her side.

She was born Dec. 22, 1929, in the Town of Grafton to Ernst and Frieda Klotz.

Ruth married Armand Goeden on April 21, 1951, in Columbia, S.C. while Armand served in the U.S. Army. They had three children, Karen, Barbara and  Tina.

They bought two acres of land from her parents in 1962 and built a home, making farmland into a park-like setting for their enjoyment. Together they enjoyed gardening, bird watching and traveling.

Ruth loved to sew, made her own wedding dress and continued to sew for her family. She also taught sewing for the Lakefield 4-H Club.

In 1974, after her daughter Barbara died, she went to the University of Wisconsin in West Bend and took classes in English, German and art for two years. She continued the love of carving and painting for the rest of her life. Birds and people were her favorite subjects. She taught art and Sunday school for sixth through eighth grade at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grafton.

Ruth and Armand traveled to Germany with a tour of Europe and again by themselves, visiting with the friends whom they met while working at Milwaukee’s  German Fest. They also traveled  throughout the United States, Mexico and Jamaica. Through the Alte Kameraden Band and German Fest, they housed German people during the German festival in Milwaukee for a few years, making lifetime friends.

Ruth volunteered at Mitchel International Airport as a travelers aide for several years.  During elections, she worked as a poll worker for a number of years. Ruth also worked in the beauty shop at Lasata Nursing Home for six years. Ruth was a tour guide for Stone House tours in Ozaukee County, and she modeled clothes for Alston’s at Barth’s and Pandel’s restaurants for a couple of years.

Ruth and Armand started a printing business in the basement of their home in 1968.   This eventually led to volunteering at Ozaukee County’s Pioneer Village in the print shop. They retired from their printing business in 2012.

Ruth and Armand were charter members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grafton, which was built on her parents’ property.  Ruth always put God and her family first, taking care of her husband Armand and their daughter Barbara.

Ruth is survived by her daughters Karen (Ken) Sieren and Tina (fiance Tim Benson); grandchildren Christina Lowdermilk, Ryan Goeden and Cole Kriegel; great-grandchildren Marcus Hill, Jalen Lowdermilk, Krysten Carl (Goeden) and Logan Goeden; nieces; nephews; and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents Ernst and Frieda Klotz, husband Armand, daughter Barbara, granddaughter Amanda Kriegel, grandson Justin Kriegel, sisters Dorothy Hawes and Mildred Morison and brothers and sisters-in-law.

The family would like to personally thank the Aurora Medical Clinic in Port Washington and Dr. Scott Wilfong and his staff for their kindness and caring manner with our parents over the past 20-plus years. A special thank you to mom’s dear friends Annette Favorite, Bob Duckert and Sue Schnell for their visits with mom over the past couple of months and a special shout-out to all our family and friends for checking in by phone or the internet to see how we all were doing. Mom would always talk about how important God, family and friends were in her life, and she is forever grateful.

There will be a funeral service held for Ruth on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grafton. Visitation will take place from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. at the church.

A private burial will take place at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Grafton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Our Savior Lutheran Church, the Disabled Veterans National Foundation or the Wisconsin Humane Society are appreciated.

For online condolences, please visit www.muellerfuneralhome.com.