Tomah - Ruby I. (Kobleska) Butterfuss, 96, of Tomah was called to her eternal home on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at the home of her daughter, Ann Franks, with her loving family beside her.
She was born February 23, 1927, to Louis and Ruth (Westpfahl) Eckelberg at home, near Baraboo. She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran Faith. When Ruby was 6, her family moved to the Kendall area. She attended Glendale State Country School, and Ruby was a member of the Kendall High School Graduating Class of 1944. She worked at Fort McCoy for a short time then took a position as the assistant to the secretary of the Kendall Creamery.
She was united in marriage to William H. Kobleska on August 23, 1947. To this union 7 children were born. Ruby and Bill lived in Milwaukee for 4 years before purchasing a farm in the Bear Creek area. They farmed together for 26 years before moving to Tomah in 1977. Ruby did day care for a number of years and then worked at the Care Center for 9 years. Bill preceded her in death in 1986 after a long battle with cancer. Later she was united in marriage to Leonard Butterfuss on October 19, 1988, at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church in Tomah. He preceded her in death on Jan 4, 1999.
Ruby enjoyed playing cards and could get pretty serious about a card game. She was a crosswords queen and had an extensive vocabulary when it came to playing word games. Most important to her was her family. She was a devoted wife and a loving mother, stepmother, grandma, great-grandma, great-great grandma, step-grandma, and step great grandma, and sister.
She is survived by 6 children, Ann (Kenneth) Franks of Norwalk, Karen (Ray) Snowberry of Tomah, Jean (James) Korthals of Viroqua, Carolyn (Don) Mautino, a son-in-law Dwight Von Haden all of Tomah, Bill (Kathy), Denise (Ray) Berent all of Camp Douglas; 3 step-children Kathy (Kurt) Westpfahl, Kurt (Laura) Butterfuss, and Karyl (Chris) Utke all of Tomah and a step-daughter in law Sue Butterfuss; 20 grandchildren, 44 Great-Grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren, many step-grandchildren, step great grandchildren; 2 sisters, Lucile Hemerley, and Gladys and (Roger) Kaus, a brother Reinold Eckelberg, and a sister-in-law Marion Eckelberg, many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
Preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, a daughter, Susan VonHaden, 2 stepsons, Brian and Bruce Butterfuss, a grandson Kevin Franks; a sister, Marie (Gilbert)Neitzel; brothers and sisters-in-law: Robert (Margaret), Loren (Alvera), Charles and Raymond (Margaret) (Dorothy) Eckelberg, Wilmetta Eckelberg, Vernon Hemerly, Nina (Louis) Beese, Elsie (Harold) Wolfgram, Eva (Hugh) Cassidy, Lena (Harvey) Koepp, Marceda (Eldon) Pitel, Otto (Elsie), Raymond (Lydia), Carl (Evelyn), Harry (Ruth), Arnold (Caroline), Herbert (Maryann), Leonard (Lorraine), and Merritt Kobleska.
A Funeral Service was held today on Thursday, April 13, 2023, 11:00 A.M. at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, 525 Superior Ave. Tomah. Pastor Korey Van Kampen and Pastor Robert Gerke officiated. The burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery.
Relatives and friends were invited to call Wednesday from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran church, and on Thursday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service. Online condolences may be sent to www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com.
The Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
The Family request memorials be given to St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church or St. Paul Ev. Lutheran School in Ruby’s memory.
Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home
