Ruth M. Latham

Ruth Margrete Latham (Christopherson) passed away Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at the age of 101. She was the youngest of eleven children of Norwegian immigrants. She was born September 29, 1917 at Donaldson, Minnesota to Daniel Edward Christopherson and Hilda Marie Christopherson (Hansen). She grew up near Brandt, South Dakota and was confirmed at East Highland Lutheran Church on July 5, 1931. She had a deep love for her family and her Norwegian heritage. Fond memories of life on the farm with her parents and brothers and sisters inspired her to write "Christophersons to America", a book on their journey from Norway and their new life in America. She grew up speaking Norwegian at home and enjoying Norwegian cooking. She was expert at cooking lutefisk, lefsa and other Norwegian specialties. She also traveled to Norway on several occasions to meet her cousins and explore her Norwegian genealogy. She took up rosemaling, a form of Norwegian decorative painting, and created many beautiful decorative pieces.

On April 20, 1946, she married Walter Wesley Latham in Glendale, California. They settled in Richfield, Minnesota in a house where she lived for the next 71 years. She was a member of Woodlake Lutheran Church in Richfield. She is survived by her two sons, Daniel Latham (Dianne) and Mark Latham (Debra); grandchildren, Megan Norman (Tom) and Tyler Latham; great-grandchildren, Olive Norman, Theodore Norman, and Ford Norman; and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Walter; her brothers Kato, Hans, Mark, Ingbert, Otto, Albert and Edwin; and her sisters Magna, Dagny, and Clara. Her family is deeply grateful for the love and support she has given us over so many years. She will be greatly missed.