Ruth (Braaten) Mills of Mora died peacefully on Friday, August 19 th 2022 after a short battle with Cancer. She was 86 years old.

She was born on December 1st, 1935, in Ortonville, Minnesota to Selmer and Gretchen (Schmidt) Braaten. She had one sister Marliss, and one brother David. Ruth enjoyed a happy childhood and fondly remembered pie baking, paper dolls, reading and playing Rook with her siblings and father. During her high school years, she participated and enjoyed band and choir, speech, and summer soft ball. She graduated from Milan High School in 1953. She attended college at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where she received a B.A. in English and Speech in 1957. After graduating from Concordia College, she enjoyed a life changing experience of working, backpacking, and hitch-hiking through Europe with a small group of friends. Ruth took her first job in Mora in 1957 where she taught English and Speech. In 1963 she received her Masters Degree from Northern Colorado State.

On June 18, 1960, she was united in marriage to Russell Howard Mills in St. Peter Minnesota.

She taught school in Mora until 1966 when she made the decision to retire from teaching to help build their new home on the Snake River. In 1968 her daughter, Sarah was born and her son, Michael was adopted. In 1974 she opened a fabric shop in Mora called The Spinning Wheel, where she would spend the next thirteen years of her life owning and operating the store. Ruth's interests were varied from reading, sewing, cooking, baking to all sorts of crafts which kept her busy. She enjoyed caring for all three of her daughters' children. She was active in the community and volunteered much of her time to World Hunger programs through the church Synod.

In retirement years she enjoyed traveling with her sister, sister-in-law, and two cousins, playing bridge, and keeping the Grace Church library current. For many years she did speaking engagements for church programs, mother-daughter banquets, Christmas programs, etc.

She is preceded in death by her parents Selmer and Gretchen (Schmidt) Braaten, Husband Russ Mills and Sister Marliss (Braaten) Myran.

She is survived by her son Michael (Christie) Mills, daughter Sarah (John) Berry; grandchildren Tara (Clay) Butler, Devin Mills, Nicole Berry, Kailey Berry, Nolan Berry; great grandchildren Hunter, Andie, Belle; brother David (Marilyn) Braaten; nephews, relatives, and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, August 26, 2022, at Grace Lutheran Church in Mora with Rev. Gary Guptill officiating.  Visitation will be on Thursday, August 25, 2022, from 5 until 7 P.M. at Dresser-Methven Funeral Home as well as one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.

Arrangements by Methven Funeral and Cremation Services, Dresser Methven Chapel, Mora, Minnesota