Ruth A. Leahy

Ruth A. Leahy, age 76, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, February 26, in Kimberly, Wisconsin. Ruth was born to the late Sylvester and Verona (Weber) Van Schyndel on March 31, 1937 in Appleton, Wisconsin. She attended school in Appleton at St. Joe's grade school, Appleton West High School, and St. Agnes School of Nursing, where she graduated as a Registered Nurse and worked at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. In 1958 she moved to Long Beach California, and worked at Veteran's Memorial Hospital. It was in Long Beach that she met her loving husband Francis “Frank” Leahy. They married on April 19, 1960 and have spent 53 years together. They returned to Appleton where Ruth continued her career at Appleton Medical Center for 26 years. Ruth loved gardening, knitting, hosting dinner and parties. She loved playing golf and said that she was “never good at it, but the sociability was worth every bad stroke.” Even the hole in one was played with an orange ball. She maintained very close friendships with life-long friends in the Appleton area, California, and in Good Year, Arizona where many warm winter memories were made.

She is survived by her husband, Frank, Kimberly, five children and eleven grandchildren, Ann (David) Hovell and their family, Andrew and Matthew, Kimberly; Steve (Meg Kidd) Leahy, Prattville, Alabama, and their family, Peter and Macaira; Karen (Dan) Suminski, Franklin, and their family Erin, David and Sean; Peter Leahy, New London, and family, Michael and Zachary Leahy; Bob (Shellie Blum) Leahy, New London, and their family Mackenzie and Dylan. Ruth is further survived by one sister, Phyllis (Floyd “Gabe”) Gabrielson, Appleton and one brother, Joseph (Kathleen “Kit”) Van Schyndel, Grand Chute and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 12:00 pm at Wichmann Fargo Funeral Home on Oneida Street in Appleton. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 12:00 pm at the funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wichmannfargo.com.

In lieu of flowers, Ruth has requested that you please send a bouquet of flowers to a treasured friend. Ruth's family gives their heartfelt thanks to Siekman Cancer Center and a special thanks to Nurse Patty Martin.