Cloudy and Windy, 58° F
(Feb. 3, 2006)
Ruth Elizabeth Gilbertson died Friday, Feb. 3 in the Powell Valley Hospital at the age of 88.
She was born June 5, 1917, in Wakefield, Mich., daughter of John Gust Niemi and Fannie (Halberg) Niemi. She graduated as Wakefield High School valedictorian in 1935 and attended college before embarking on a career in which she became a business executive in the food industry, holding many positions.
She was a member of the Lutheran church and enjoyed needlework and word puzzles, was an avid fisherman and traveled all over the country where her relatives reside.
Through the years, she lived in Wakefield, Mich., Waukegan, Ill., Pasadena, Calif., Gold Hill, Ore., Bessemer, Mich., and Powell.
She married Garvin Gilbertson in Gold Hill, Ore., Dec, 2, 1991.
She was preceded in death by her four husbands, Theodore Goldsmith, Ed O’Brien, Ed Vergiels and Garvin Gilbertson; her parents, Gust and Fannie Niemi; a daughter-in-law, Sharon Goldsmith; and a sister, Lila Vidrick.
Survivors include four sons, Burton (Dayle) Goldsmith of Cedar Crest, N.M., Gary Goldsmith (Judy Bramhall) of Powell, Lee Goldsmith of Hesperia, Calif., and Todd (Patricia) Goldsmith of Sunnyvale, Calif.; three stepsons, Bud (Carol) Gilbertson of Santa Ana, Calif., Brian (Mihwa) Gilbertson of Texas and Rodney (Mary) Gilbertson of New London, Wisc.; six step-daughters, Betsy (Mark) Whitley of Wakefield, Mich., Pat (Ron) Maki of Ironwood, Mich., Barb (Craig) Farrell of Ironwood, Mich., Bambi (Tim) Mattson of Norway, Mich., Donna (Tim) Heaton of New Berlin, Wisc., and Deanna (Wayne) Blaschke of Lake Gogebic, Mich.; two brothers, John (Elaine) Niemi of Aurora, Minn., and Warren (Judy) Niemi of Blissfield, Mich.; a brother-in-law, Ed Vidrick of Las Vegas, N.M.; 30 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services and burial will be held in early July in Wakefield, Mich.
