Ruth M. Leigh, 91, St. Cloud

June 22, 1924 – September 7, 2015

Ruth Marie Leigh, age 91, of St. Cloud, MN, passed away Monday, September 7, 2015 at St. Benedicts Sr. Community, St. Cloud.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, September 14, 2015 at Benson Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 PM Sunday and one hour prior to the service at the funeral home Monday. Private family burial will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Little Falls, MN. Arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud.

Ruth was born on June 22, 1924 in Terre Haute, IN to Clarence and Marjorie (Hensley) Guthrie. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Ruth was married to James J. Leigh in 1947 and they moved to St. Cloud to take their first teaching positions. Ruth worked in the St. Cloud School District 742 for many years as a home economics teacher with her last two years at Cathedral High School. She became the City Hostess for Newcomers, with a partner. She then owned the business for 17 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Sartell, Zonta, BPW, St. Cloud Business Women, White Shrine, The Order of the Eastern Star, Granite Chapter #5, St. Cloud, Chairman of the Board of St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and the St. Cloud Country Club. Ruth was the St. Cloud woman of the year in 1985. She wintered in Pharr, TX for 22 years before returning to MN in 2007 to be near her sons and their families.

She is survived by her sons, David (Myrna) of St. Cloud, Richard of St. Cloud and John (Lanette) of St. Cloud; daughter-in-law, Rachelle Leigh of St. Cloud; brother, Paul Guthrie of Brillion, WI; sisters, Mary Lee of Eau Clair, WI and Doris Zimmerman of Brookfield, WI; 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jim; son Jim; Sister Gladys Hoffmeister and 2 brothers.