Ruth Esther Liimatta

Chassell

Ruth Esther (Tapio) Liimatta was born May 19, 1933, at the family farm in Klingville, Michigan, the
daughter of John and Hilda (Puuri) Tapio.  She passed away peacefully March 18, 2023 as a resident
in the Canal View--Houghton County Medical Care Facility.  Her husband Elmer Russell Liimatta passed
away 13 days later as a resident of Canal View as well. As they walked and loved together thru a long
life, they crossed to their eternal Heavenly home together as well.

Ruth was very proud of her family of five sons:  Daniel, Jeffrey, Steven (“Jake” deceased), Kevin
(daughter-in-law Kathleen Rokala), and Mark.  Elmer said he never forgot the proud and happy look on
Ruth’s face every time she had a new baby to introduce to the Church congregation.  She had five
sisters--all deceased, Mildred L. Tikkanen, Helen Juntunen, Alice Kerr, Verna Storm, and five brothers--all
deceased, Paul Tapio, Albert Tapio, Edwin Tapio, Alden Tapio, and Roy Tapio.  She is survived by brother-
and sister-in-laws Jim Kerr, Ken Storm, June Tapio, and Shirley Tapio.

Ruth Esther was named after the two books of the Old Testament.  She was born so small that she was
not expected to live long.  The family kept her warm in her first infant days on the open door of the
wood-fired kitchen oven.  It’s noted that a neighbor saw her and said, “Those kind don’t live long. “ She
was stubborn and showed everyone her Finnish “Sisu” by surviving and growing.  That was her
nature—she was tough but very caring and loving at the same time.  She pushed against the odds to
build a good life and home for her family wherever they were at the time.
 
Ruth and her nine brothers and sisters grew up on the family strawberry farm in Klingville, and she
admitted she was a “competitive strawberry picker.”  Father paid a penny per quart for her efforts. She
graduated from Chassell High School June, 1951.  She went on to start working at Portage Coal in Ripley
as an office worker.   Ruth met her future husband, Elmer R. Liimatta in Hancock, not long before he was
drafted for the Korean War in 1952.  She was united in marriage to Elmer December 19, 1954, in
Hancock, Michigan by Rev. Andrew Mickelsen at the Franklin Apostolic Lutheran Church.  Elmer studied
and graduated from Suomi (Finlandia) College and the young couple moved to Detroit in 1956 to begin
working as the Pastor and wife for the Detroit Apostolic Lutheran Church.  The Church moved to
Southfield in 1962 where Ruth and Elmer would serve the church until retiring in August 1995. 
In her life, Ruth served in many roles in the church, including teaching Sunday school at summer
vacation Bible school.  Ruth and Elmer hosted a monthly Southfield Police jail bible service for prisoners
while Elmer was the Southfield Police Chaplain for several decades.  Ruth also worked as a teacher’s
aide at Perry Kay Nursery School, and later worked for a local Southfield business as the office
administrator.  When they retired from the Church, they moved back to Chassell in August 1995. During
forty years at the Church, she served as a Pastor’s wife, Sunday school teacher and superintendent,
pianist, kitchen leader, and a host of other roles. 
 
She loved to gather with her siblings and share stories about growing up in Klingville on the farm. Ruth
loved to listen to the Detroit Tigers, a hobby she endeared as a child. She would say her parents and all
the kids would sit on the living room floor at the Farm and listen to the big family radio when the Tigers
were playing. She especially liked when they were batting, but not so much when they were defending.
 
Ruth loved to bake, cook and prepare meals for her family and whoever happened to be visiting them. 
Extra plates of spaghetti were always in the refrigerator as a “meals on wheels” by Ruth.  She spent time
outside gardening and tending to her flowers, and loved to sew and mend clothing (as her mother had

taught her).  She would say she was proud that she had taught her boys to mend and sew their own
clothes.  Ruth enjoyed the simple wood-fired sauna, which also was a daily evening activity for the
family.  She also loved to play scrabble, usually with her “daughter” in-law Kathy.  They would spend a
quick few minutes whenever they gathered to play a quick game.  Later, mom would quietly spend time
playing scrabble on her IPAD, ever challenged by the computer.  She was always proud to announce
when she beat the computer in Scrabble.  
 
Throughout all of their living years, Ruth and Elmer held on to a marriage life verse that says:
"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21. We celebrate the life eternal that Ruth
showed us and continues to live in Heaven.  She served all with her loving care and left everyone feeling
loved.
 
The family would like to thank the Southfield Apostolic Church and the Alston, Atlantic Mine, Bruce
Crossing, and Zion Lutheran Apostolic Church congregations for allowing mom and dad to serve them
periodically in the last 25 years.  The family would also like to thank the staff at UP Home Health &
Hospice and the staff at Canal View—Houghton County Medical Care Facility for their care and support. 
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would encourage donations to Zion Lutheran Church—Camp Lahti,
in Hancock, Michigan, the Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hancock, Michigan, or the Copper
Country Habitat for Humanity, also in Hancock.  

A combined “Celebration of Life” Service for Elmer, Ruth, and brother Steve (Jake) is planned for Friday
June 23, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock, Michigan.

To view Ruth's obituary or to send condolences to the family please visit www.memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service - Chassell Chapel has been assisting the family with the arrangements.