Sixth Generation

102. Ruth Amelia SEFLOW was born on 16 February 1919 in Kirby, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.^24,43 She died on 20 September 2008 at the age of 89 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴³

Obituary Notes: "Ruth Amelia Handy passed away on Sept. 20, 2008, at Tomah Memorial Hospital surrounded by her family. Ruth was born Feb. 16, 1919, to Louis and Helen (Kolb) Seflow at their home in Kirby, WI. She attended Summit Valley Grade School, graduated from Tomah High School in 1936, and then attended one year of teachers’ training. That training prepared her to teach all eight grades at one-room schoolhouses in Shennington and Watermill. The Watermill Grade School is now the Little Red Schoolhouse in Gillett Park in Tomah.

On Feb. 7, 1942, Ruth married Fred (Fritz) Handy at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kirby. Fritz and Ruth lived briefly in Montana before Fritz was assigned to Burma during World War II. During that time, Ruth lived and worked in Kenosha with her sister Lenora “Non” until the end of the war.

Ruth and Fritz had three children: Robert (Bob), Jo Anne (Joey), and Hal. They spent most of their lives in the Tomah/Warrens area, where they had a large extended family and many friends. Ruth was a life-long member of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, having been baptized in the original church that burned and later confirmed in the present church. She truly loved her church where she was a Sunday school teacher and member of the Ladies’ Aid.

Ruth enjoyed homemaking and caring for her family and also worked at Fort McCoy for 19 years, before retiring in 1982. Ruth loved spending time with her family, playing cards, and celebrating life. She had a special relationship with all of her grandchildren and made each one feel special. She taught them to play cards and other games, and she especially enjoyed the times when her entire family was together. Although Ruth was a slim lady, she had a passion for food and enjoyed the special celebrations of life: weddings, birthday parties, anniversary parties, etc. She said that her surprise 80th birthday party was a favorite time for her.

When Ruth passed into her new life, she joined Fritz; her Pa and Ma; two grandchildren, Robert Handy and Elizabeth Hart; a great-granddaughter, Emma Hart; a brother, Leonard Seflow; her father and mother in-law, Floyd and Fern Handy; a nephew, Ricky Seflow; brothers-in-law Frank Schleicher, Bob Miller, Jim Champlin, Lee Gosciniak, Al Wenninger, Rodney Schmig; a sister-in-law, Lorraine; as well as many other relatives and friends.

She gave her life to her family, who miss her very much. Ruth left behind her children: Bob and Mary Jo (Strozinsky) Handy, Hal and Diane (Aller) Handy, and Joey (Greg) Flock. She also left eight grandchildren: Chris (Kim) Handy, Amy Jo (Paul) Schueler, Bobbi Jo Handy (Kelly Larkin), Kelly Jo (Brian) Noth, Linsey Jo (Jason) Rezin, Sarah Flock, Katie (Jeff) Dotzler, and Michael Flock (fiancé Anne Rings). Also remaining are 15 great-grandchildren: Kollin, Kally Jo and Kyle Kroener; Matthew and Trey Larkin; Halle Jo, Charli and Cole Schueler; Lauren and Lily Noth; Jaylin and Livia Rezin; Anne, Jack, and Ellen Dotzler. Ruth is also survived by: the other two “Seflow Girls,” Non Schleicher and Elaine Miller; her brother, Gilbert “Gib” Seflow and his wife Jane; a sister-in-law, Marguerite Seflow; all nine of Fritz’s brothers and sisters, Floyd Jr., Marjorie Gosciniak, Juanita Wenninger, Ronald (Mary Lou), Dean (Helen), Carol Schmig, Richard (Donna), Russell (Linda), and Linda (Tim) Higbee, and their families; her family of friends at Touch of Home where she spent the last five years of her life; and many other family members and friends. We will remember her love and cherish the memories of her until we meet again.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church, Kirby. Pastor Phillip M. Enderle officiated. Burial was in the Warren Mills Cemetery, Warrens.

Family and friends called at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, Tomah, on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorials in Ruth’s memory may be given to the St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church Building Fund."

Ruth Amelia SEFLOW and Fred "Fritz" HANDY were married on 7 February 1942 in Kirby, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴³ Fred "Fritz" HANDY, son of Floyd HANDY and Fern Ethel THOMPSON, was born on 27 February 1921 in Monroe County, WI.^24,43 He died on 12 January 1983 at the age of 61 in La Crosse, La Crosse County, WI.⁴³ (His obituary does not indicated his year of death, only that he was 61 years old.)

Ruth Amelia SEFLOW and Fred "Fritz" HANDY had the following children: