Ruth M. Olver

Ruth M. Avery Olver, age 86, died of heart failure on Thursday May 3, 2018, in Saint Peter, MN, after a lengthy illness.

Ruth was born in Pennsylvania in 1932 to Raymond and Mabel [Petersen] Avery. She grew up on the family dairy farm on the Brook Road near Indian Orchard PA, a farm also well-known in the area for its strawberries in the summer. She attended school in Beach Lake, and graduated from Narrowsburg High School in 1949. She was married in 1950, and raised four children in Honesdale, PA, being employed for many years at the Wayne County Court House. She was a long-time member of St. John's Lutheran Church. Ruth moved to Allentown, PA in 1984, and one of her proudest accomplishments was earning her Associate Degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Lehigh County Community College, at the age of 59, while working fulltime. She was also an active volunteer with the Miller Memorial Blood Center. Several years after retiring, Ruth moved to North Mankato, MN in 2003, to live near her daughter, Nancy and family, where she continued her volunteering for many years until failing health made it impossible. She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato.

She is survived by her four children and their families: Patricia [N. Mankato MN] and son Erik; Richard [Lakewood CO]; Nancy [N. Mankato MN] with husband Mark and children Amanda and Ben; and Debbie [Honesdale PA] with husband Dan and children Deanna and Daryl (and his daughter Renee). Ruth also has two surviving brothers: Paul (wife Millie) in Vestal NY and Don (wife, Pat) in Bath PA.

Services will be private in Minnesota.