Post Messenger Recorder -

Ruth Anne Disch, age 68, passed away on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at the New Glarus Home. She was born on April 15, 1949, in Monroe, WI, the daughter of Willis and Wilma (Saxer) Disch Fosaaen.

She graduated from New Glarus High School in 1967, and the Humboldt Institute in 1968. Ruth spent her entire career in the travel industry, first with North Central Airlines in Minneapolis until 1970 and then she relocated to the Fox Valley in Wisconsin to work for Air Wisconsin until 1976. She then moved to Dodgeville to work for Meyer and Larson Travel Agency, which became Dodgeville Travel Service upon her purchase in 1979. Ruth operated the travel service until her retirement in 2007. During her time in Dodgeville, Ruth was very active in civic organizations including the Kiwanis Club, the United Way of Iowa County and Farmer Appreciation Days.

Ruth lived courageously for 39 years with a diagnosis of Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which cut short her true passion of traveling the world. Her trips to Switzerland with her mother and an Amazon cruise were her most memorable, but she also loved Hong Kong and Alaska. Few of Ruth's days were spent thinking about her disease but instead optimistically hoping for the cure that she would never see. To further the study of the pathology of MS, she has donated her brain and spinal column in hopes of alleviating it for future generations.

Ruth lived her last 10 years at the New Glarus Nursing Home with her close "family" of staff and residents. Ruth loved her dogs, Poochie and Bimbo, who both preceded her in death. She spent much of her later years voraciously reading her true crime books on her Kindle, watching ID TV, and the latest and greatest movies.

Ruth is survived by siblings, Willis (Linda) Disch, Monticello, Larry (Linda) Disch, New Glarus, Donna (Lenny) Mulhollon, Sauk City, and Dorene Disch, New Glarus; stepparents, Marv and Joan Fosaaen, Georgetown, Florida; an uncle, Harry Saxer; aunt, Audrey Saxer; 17 nieces and nephews; and 24 great-nieces and great-nephews; and four great-great nieces and great-great nephews.

She was preceded in death by parents, Willis (1970) and Wilma (1988); brother, Edwin (2015); maternal grandparents, John (1981) and Anna (Gerber) Saxer (1994); paternal grandparents, Casper John (1952) and Louisa (Marty) Disch (1981); and niece, Tiffany Disch (1979).

Ruth Anne Disch

Ruth was a baptized and confirmed member of Swiss United Church of Christ. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Thursday, August 10, 2017, at the New Glarus Home Chapel, 600 Second Avenue, New Glarus, WI (access via the Elm Dr. entrance), with the Rev. Kim Moeller officiating. Inurnment at the Swiss Cemetery in New Glarus will be at a later date.

Visitation was from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, at the Zentner-Beal Funeral Home, 29 Sixth Avenue, New Glarus, WI, and from 10:00 a.m. until time of services on Thursday at the New Glarus Home Chapel.

A memorial fund has been established.

A very big special shout out to the entire staff of New Glarus Nursing Home for their deep friendship and thoughtful daily attention over the last 10 years, and to Agrace Hospice for their extra level of care and responsiveness during the last four difficult months.

An online memorial with guestbook is available at http://www.bealfuneralhomes.com.