Ruth J. Knox, nee Rosnow, 84, of West Bend, died Thursday, December 16, 2004 at the Cedar Lake Health Care Center, West Bend.
She was born on November 6, 1920 in Milwaukee to the late Leonard and Malinda (nee Seybold) Rosnow. She graduated from Rufus King High School, Milwaukee, in 1939. She graduated from Downer Seminary with a degree in physical therapy and she interned at the University of Minnesota in occupational therapy. She then worked in occupational therapy at Burns Army Hospital in Santa Fe, NM.
After WWII she returned to Milwaukee and worked at the Milwaukee County Institutions, later going to work at Goodwill Industries, where she met Margaret Valentine, who became one of her best friends. On July 1, 1957, Ruth was united in marriage to Merle Knox in Milwaukee. She then worked at the Altinhiemer, which was later named the Home for Retired Lutherans, where she ran the occupational therapy department until retiring.
Ruth was a working mom with a family of four children and family was most important to her. She was always organizing gatherings at her home in Milwaukee or at the longtime family summer home on Lake Amy Belle in Hubertus. Ruth always had a wonderful smile.
She had been an active member of Kenwood United Methodist Church, Milwaukee, Zion United Methodist Church, Colgate, and Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church, West Bend. She was a member of the United Methodist Women, Volunteers in Mission (VIM) and Jobs Daughters.
Ruth and Merle volunteered for many missions in other countries. They loved to travel and had seen most of the world. They moved to Cedar Ridge in West Bend several years ago where they lived until moving to the nearby Cedar Community where Merle still resides.
She is survived by her husband, Merle; four children, John (Margery) Wahlen, Jr. of Hubertus, James (Sharon) Wahlen of Hubertus, Walter (Harriet) Knox of Mililani, Hawaii, and Chere (Rodney) Iverson of Las Vegas, NV; nine grandchildren, John (Nicole) Wahlen III, Joy (Eric) Wagner, Frederick Wahlen, Christopher (Jamie) Wahlen, Molly Knox, Rebecca Knox, Kimberly Iverson, Jessica (Kevin) Eldredge, and Stephanie (Derek) Davis; ten great-grandchildren, Zachary and Elizabeth Wahlen, Emma, Rebekah, Madalynn and Russell Wagner, Benjamin Eldredge, Zackery, Matthew and Kaia Davis; and a sister, Lucille (Robert) Williams of Pewaukee; other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Tues. Dec. 28 at 1:30 p.m. at Zion United Methodist Church, 3402 Willow Creek Rd., Colgate, WI, with Rev. Cindy Thompson and Rev. Howard Knox officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service.