Ruth Tolle

HANFORD, Calif. — Ruth Ann Tolle passed into her Heavenly reward Saturday, March 11, 2017, after a short battle with cancer.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Al Tolle; her children, Jeff (Lisa Kowalski and son, Tyler) Tolle, Steve (Emily) Tolle and Alicia (Tom) Martella; her beloved grandchildren, Kelsey and Kaeton Martella; her sister, Doris Middleton of Advance, Missouri; and numerous nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Annice Mirly, also of Advance.

Ruth was born and raised in Advance and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in education. She started her teaching career in Leadville, Colorado, in 1961. She spent two years teaching in Cape Girardeau, then moved to Hanford, California, in 1964, where she married Al. Aside for a few years they spent in Advance, they raised their family in Hanford.

Ruth continued to teach at local schools, including Lemoore Elementary School District, Pioneer Elementary, Kit Carson School and Hanford Elementary School District. She found her true passion when she began to teach kindergarten, which she did for the last 15 years of her career. Ruth was instrumental in founding a very successful preschool at First Lutheran Church in Hanford, where she also played the organ every Sunday morning for many years. After 32 years of service, she retired from teaching in 2003.

Retirement did not slow her down. A firm believer in God, she was active in her church and its activities. She also spent time tracing her genealogy and discovered she qualified for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution organization.

Never forgetting her love of children and passion for teaching, she tutored children at Club Z, Kings River Hardwick and in her home. She also started a tutoring program at St. James Lutheran Church for kindergarten through fourth-grade children. No child or dog ever went unnoticed by Ruth; she unselfishly cared for all. Her main focus in her last years was assisting the Children’s Storybook Garden and Museum as it broke ground on its facility in downtown Hanford.

Ruth’s family would also like to thank Stanford Medical Center, Dr. Neel Gupta and his entire staff, as well as the nurse practitioners, nurses and staff at Stanford F-Ground for the amazing care and compassion they gave our wife, mom and nana during her time there.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. March 25 at First Lutheran Church, followed by a celebration of life at noon at the Hanford Civic Auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Ruth’s name to the Children’s Storybook Garden and Museum at www.ruthtolle.com.

Spangler Mortuaries in Mountain View, California, is in charge of arrangements.