Ruth O. Chitwood

Ruth Orella Chitwood passed away peacefully on January 8th lovingly surrounded by her family and care givers.

Ruth, the eldest of eight children was born on August 20, 1925 to her parents Hilmer and Olive Holen. Her life was a myriad of experiences including at an early age supporting her parents as the “big” sister to her siblings on the farm, attending Westby area schools, leading by example through her work ethic at The Westby Creamery and later Gundersen / Lutheran Hospital, and raising a family (including two sons on her own). In her free time, she loved to read and enjoyed traveling to locations across the United States she had only dreamed about.

She is survived by her daughter Barbara Heuer, and sons Gary Eitland and Geoff Eitland and their families, siblings Ruby Erickson, Sandra Nyhus, Betty Rumsey, Donna Holen-Wolf, Larry Holen, and Diane Holen-Amsler and their families and Mary Eitland, as well as an extended family including Gene Bahr and his loving family.  Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, brother Arnie Holen, husband Ralph Chitwood, her daughter Bonnie Eitland, and two sons Kevin and Dennis Eitland, as well as many beloved family members and friends.

To say that generations of her family and special friends will miss her greatly is an understatement, but she is on a long walk now filled with the beauty of heaven, eternal hugs, laughter, and gratefulness.

The family would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the staff at Brookdale Assisted Living / Memory Care, Moments Hospice, Benedictine Assisted Living and St. Croix Hospice for their loving compassion and care.

At her request, in her final wishes, there will be no memorial service or public funeral. She wished to be remembered through the moments she shared with us all.