Ruthie "Patchy" Patch

Ruth Ann “Ruthie” “Patchy” Patch, age 58, of Fosston, MN, passed away on Sunday, May 12^th, at REM Wildflower Residence in Fosston.  A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 17^th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston with Jeanne Rains and Mark Erickson officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery, rural Trail, MN. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Friday morning at the funeral home. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com. 

Ruth Ann Patch was born on June 6, 1965, in Bemidji, Minnesota.  Ruthie joined Grace and John Ratkovec through foster care in February of 1971. The family resided in Bemidji where Ruthie attended school. At the age of 16, she started attending the Beltrami County DAC and then the Bemidji DAC program, when it began. 

The family moved to Owatonna, Minnesota for a few years and Ruthie graduated from Owatonna High School on May 31, 1985. They moved back to Bemidji and later to rural Becida, Minnesota and she continued attending the Bemidji DAC. Grace passed away in 2000 and Ruthie continued to live with John. 

They moved to Fosston in 2001 and Ruthie began attending the East Polk DAC. She was baptized on October 28, 2001, by Rev. Dr. Micael L. Rogers at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bagley. Her sponsors were Moni Olson and Kate Erickson. In the summer of 2005, when John entered the nursing home, Ruthie transitioned to a foster home in the McIntosh area. John and Grace were loving and caring foster parents and, in turn, Ruthie richly blessed them in their lives.

On April 12, 2006, Ruthie moved to her current residence, the REM Wildflower in Fosston.  On April 12, 2024, Pastor Sheila Michaels reaffirmed Ruthie’s baptism. Her sponsors were Maurittia Bardwell, Sarah Cymbaluk, Jessica Morris, Adrienne Brant and Roxann Coan. It was a beautiful day with family from Wildflower & Horizon.  Communion was shared, music & singing enjoyed by all as we celebrated the gift of Ruthie and the promise made to her through baptism.

On April 30, 2024, the East Polk DAC celebrated Ruthie with her retirement party from the DAC. It was a wonderful day with cake, ice cream, and songs.  Mark led the group in singing a special song for Ruthie, “You Are My Sunshine.”

She was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bagley.  Ruthie and John enjoyed the fellowship at Redeemer until his passing.

Ruthie will be remembered as a gentle soul. She loved to give affection with hugs and kisses on the hand. She enjoyed music, dancing, singing, the guitar and prayers.  John & Ruthie shared a special father/daughter bond, to John there was not anyone more important than his “Toto” as he always called her.  His love and patience with Ruthie will always be remembered.  

Ruthie passed away peacefully with her family & Wildflower family by her side on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at the age of 58 years.  Grace greeted her daughter home on Mother’s Day.

She is survived by her “family” through love.   Brothers and sisters, Vernon (Joanne) Voeltz of Trail, MN, Shirley Voeltz of Twin Valley, MN, and Sylvia Flateland of Clearbrook, MN; nieces and nephews, Larry Voeltz of Trail, MN, Greg (Annette) Olson of Fargo, ND, Rita Olson of East Grand Forks, MN, Joyce Sather of Gonvick, MN, Judy Seyller of Trail, MN, Gordy Flateland of Billings, MT, Ginger Flateland of Trail, MN, Janet Mueller of Long Prairie, MN, Wes (Lynn) Flateland of Clearbrook, MN, Roxann (Roger) Coan of Goodridge, MN, Denise (Steve) Miller of Moorhead, MN, and Phyllis (Ivan) Smedshammer of Marion, IL; and many other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Grace (2000) and John (2007) Ratkovec; sister, Deloris (1996) and Steve (1992) Lopez; brothers-in-law, Howard Flateland (2009) and Marvel Sheppard (1960); nephews, Ronnie Voeltz (1978), Howard “Rocky” (2023) and Jean Flateland (2020), Marvel Flateland (2022), Larry Sather (2017),  Jerry Seyller (2023), Steve Lopez (2005), Douglas Sheppard (2016), Meril (2001) and Nancy Sheppard, and Keith Sheppard (2023).

The family would like to give special thanks to the following for the care and love they have provided Ruthie (Patchy) through the years. REM/Wildflower Staff, East Polk DAC Staff, Susan Gorder/Polk County Case Manager, Tracie Koskela/Hubbard County Social Services, Past employees of REM/Wildflower & East Polk DAC, Staff at Essentia Fosston & Sanford Bagley/Fargo, Jeanne Rains - Hospice Spiritual Counselor & Essentia Health Hospice.