Former Arlington Heights resident remembered for her work ethic
Ruth Hoffie never was afraid of a little hard work.
The youngest of eight children, she milked cows by the time she was 6 years old on her parents Long Grove farm. At 12, she drove a horse and buggy to church by herself.
"She was a wonderful person," said Ruth's daughter Carol Bostrom. "She loved people and they loved her."
Ruth Hoffie, 97, died peacefully at her Arlington Heights home on Friday, March 20. She is survived by her daughter, three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, a former Arlington Heights village trustee.
After her parents sold their farm, Ruth Hoffie moved to Arlington Heights as a teenager. She met her future husband at a Long Grove community dance where Ralph's band was playing. He was a Cubs fan and she a White Sox fan. The two married in 1933.
The couple lived in Arlington Heights ever since.
"My parents' first apartment was downtown above what is now La Tasca (Tapas Restaurant)," Carol Bostrom said. "She was definitely what you'd call a longtime Arlington Heights resident. She and my dad lived in Arlington Heights most of their lives."
Ruth and Ralph were married for 59 years when Ralph passed away in 1992. He was a village trustee for one term in the late 1940s and owned his own insurance company.
"My father suffered from cancer and rheumatoid arthritis for years but my mother was a wonderful caretaker," Carol Bostrom said.
When Hoffie was in her 50s she worked at Red Oaks in Long Grove as an assistant buyer and floor manager. Later in life she enjoyed gardening and taking care of her yard.
Visitation for Ruth M. Hoffie (nee Hasemann), will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Lutheran Home Chapel, 800 W. Oakton in Arlington Heights. Burial will follow the service at St. John's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Providence Church, 371 Cass River Drive, Caro, MI 48723 or to the Arthritis Foundation.