Ruth Anna Marie Tum

Ruth Anna Maria Stocker was born on February 12, 1924 in Edigheim, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany to Konrad and Margarete Stocker. She was confirmed in the Lutheran faith and received her education in Edigheim am Rhine. During WWII she apprenticed in the office of a manufacturer of “blackout” window blinds. She witnessed the horrors of war firsthand seeing her brother wounded and taken prisoner, her cousin missing in action in Russia, and her family home damaged by allied bombing.

After the war ended she met an American soldier stationed in Germany with the occupation forces. She married Staff Sgt. Harry Tum on November 29, 1947 and moved to Monrovia, California as a war bride where together they raised their three children. Ruth proudly became a US citizen in 1953. In retirement they moved to Sioux Falls in 1992 to be closer to family.

Ruth was a wonderful cook and baker – making everything from scratch. Each Christmas her family looked forward to her four special Christmas cookie varieties. She and Harry enjoyed camping trips with the kids and later traveling the world together, sometimes taking their daughters and grandsons along.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents Konrad and Margarete Stocker; her husband Harry Tum on March 3, 2001; her brother Heinz Stocker; and her son Harry J. Tum.

She is survived by daughters Margarete (Everett) Engels of Pierre, SD; Barbara (Mick) Lockard of Pueblo West, CO; daughter-in-law Tonya Anderson of Menomonie, WI; five grandsons Richard (Lisa) Engels, Shawn (Anne) Tum, Jaime Stocker, John Tum and Adam Tum; three great grandchildren Mya Engels, Konrad Engels, and Alex Tum; as well as many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends in the US and in Germany.

On June 7, 2016 after 15 years as a widow Ruth joined her soldier in eternity where together they walk hand in hand.