Ruth A. Rahn

Ruth A. Rahn, 96, longtime resident of Swanville, MN passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at Vitality Living of Upsala. Funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Swanville, MN, with a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Spring Brook Cemetery in Swanville. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church which Ruth credits with nurturing and strengthening her faith over the many years she was a member, through worship services, bible studies, and the many friendships she enjoyed. Caring for Ruth and her family is the Shelley Funeral Home in Little Falls.
Ruth Ann Neumann was born on September 10, 1928, at the family farm northwest of Grey Eagle, MN, to the late Frederick and Hertha (Abeling) Neumann. She attended Todd County District 37 rural school for the first eight grades and graduated from Long Prairie High School in 1946. She lived and worked on the family farm until she married Lloyd Rahn at Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Long Prairie Township, on November 4, 1953. Ruth and Lloyd lived in Grey Eagle and Minneapolis for a short while before moving to Swanville, MN, on January 1, 1959, where they made their home for more than 50 years. In 1959, they started a business specializing in the sale and repair of radios and televisions. In 1971, they opened Gambles Hardware Store, which later became Hardware Hank. Through their work in the hardware store, they met and helped many people from the surrounding communities. Ruth’s fondest memories from her time owning the store was ordering and selling toys, especially around Christmas. They operated the hardware store until their retirement in 1991. In addition to running their TV and hardware businesses together, Ruth and Lloyd sold Scorpion snowmobiles and taught youth snowmobile safety classes for several years. Over the years, Ruth was an active member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Swanville, where she participated in the World Relief Quilt project, vacation bible school lunch program and many other activities. As a lifelong member of the DOVE Homemakers, Ruth always looked forward to their monthly meetings, outings and annual Secret Santa exchanges. Ruth also enjoyed gardening, sewing, fishing, camping, genealogy research, coin collecting and board games, especially when done with her children and grandchildren. Her beautiful gardens in the yard of their home were enjoyed by and shared with many over the years. Following their retirement, Ruth and Lloyd enjoyed spending many winters in Weslaco, Texas with family and friends.
Ruth is survived by her daughter, Marion (Steve) Brady, of Circle Pines; son, Brian (Beth) Rahn, of Bloomington, and daughter, Julee (Pete) Olson of Mounds View; five grandchildren, Jake, Austin, Abby, George and Ella; sister, Arlene Cobleigh of Willmar, nieces, nephews and many dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frederick and Hertha Neumann; husband, Lloyd Rahn; brother, Leonard Neumann; and infant granddaughter, Cora Olson.