Ruth L. Lenser

Ruth L. Lenser, 89, of rural Coon Valley, passed away Friday February 2, 2018 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. She was born February 27, 1928 to John and Laura (Schmidt) Bendel.  She married Melvin Lenser on February 12, 1946.  Ruth worked at St. Michael’s Home for Children in La Crosse for 30 years.  She was a member of St. Peter’s Hamburg Lutheran Church. Ruth enjoyed gardening and sewing and was an avid Milwaukee Brewers fan.

Survivors include one son, Merlin of Coon Valley; 6 daughters, Linda Head of La Crosse, Virginia Kurtz of Holmen, Martha Wood of Rapid City, S.D., Ruth Hartley and fiancé Jim Peck of La Crosse, Evelyn (James) Harduvel of Phoenix, MD and Ann (Steve) Gilbertson of Chaseburg; 17 grandchildren; many great grandchildren and one great great grandchild; one brother, Romey Bendel; 2 sisters, Audrey Mades and Rita (Bill) Cox and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Melvin in 1996, 2 sisters Shirley Cox and Jeanette Manske and one grandson Steven Scott.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday February 9, 2018 at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chaseburg.  Rev. Steven Oldre will officiate with burial in the Hamburg Lutheran Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Seland Funeral Home in Coon Valley and at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until service time.