RUTH MARIA STIEFFENHOFER (REISSMANN)

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

RUTH MARIA STIEFFENHOFER
(nee REISSMANN)
July 24, 1930 - July 16, 2019

Ruth Stieffenhofer passed away peacefully with loving family by her side, on July 16, 2019, at Hearthstone Manor Care Home in Vernon, BC.
Ruth was born July 24, 1930, in Mittweida, Germany, to Maria and Karl Reissmann, She married farmer, Hans Stieffenhofer, in February, 1953 in Mainz-Amoeneburg and together they raised their three children, Agnes, Katharina and Thomas on a mixed farm on the Rhein island Peters-Aue.
In 1977 Ruth and Hans immigrated to Sperling, Manitoba, Canada, where they became successful grain farmers and were excellent stewards of the land. Together they made a new home, created a beautiful farmyard, planted hundreds of trees, and loved to share the fruits, vegetables, preserves and flowers from their large garden with family, friends, neighbours and those less fortunate.
Ruth was a seed saver, preserver, baker of cakes and cookies, maker of healing creams and medicinal teas. She expressed her creativity with her needle work, sewing and the knitting of artful sweaters and Afghans, and generously gifted her children and grandchildren with many of her beautiful creations.
Ruth also was a voracious reader and enjoyed the long Manitoba Winters for this reason.
She was the original Google with an encyclopedic knowledge of history, current affairs, politics, and culture, her curiosity was endless and her memory for dates, numbers, etc. were amazing and she remembered the melodies and lyrics to almost every German folksong until the end. We sang the folksongs she had taught to her children and grandchildren together with Ruth less than a week before her passing and she still corrected a wrong note or lyric.
Ruth had a strong sense of social justice and generously supported many charitable organizations all of her life.
In 2005 Ruth's stroke ended their active farming career and Hans chose to become her primary caregiver. Eventually, they spent winters at their "winter home" on Ruttan Bay, vis-à-vis, daughter, Katharina and family, in Winnipeg.
After Hans' death on July 4, 2013, Ruth moved to a small, private care home, Hearthstone Manor, in Vernon, BC, where here oldest daughter, Agnes, lived with her children and grandchildren close by. Ruth received excellent and loving care until the end and our family would like to thank everyone for their love and support of our mother.
Ruth is survived by her children, Agnes, Katharina (Lloyd) and Thomas (Ute), grandchildren, Till, Carla, Dorian, Maria, Gus, Thomas, Jan, Tim and Marc, great-grandchildren, Luke and Clara, sister Barbara, nieces, nephews and extended families.
A celebration of Ruth's life and interment at the Sperling, MB gravesite will take place at a later date to be announced.

"Es ist nicht einfach alt zu werden"

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 27, 2019