Ruth L. Ketcham

Ruth Alice Lindner Ketcham, 98, of De Pere, WI passed away peacefully on July 27, 2025 at Century Ridge in Green Bay, WI. Ruth had a zest for life and was deeply devoted to her family, her church, and giving back to the community. She was a watercolor painter, an honorary member of Job’s Daughter’s, and an avid volunteer who also had a lifelong passion for learning, travel, art, golf, drama, gardening and flower arranging. As a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, she will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her son Jeffrey Ketcham and his wife Joan Ketcham, Indianapolis, IN; her daughter Barbara Mednick, St. Paul, MN; her son Peter Ketcham, De Pere, WI; and her grandson Justin Mednick, Minneapolis, MN. Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Alice and Alfred Lindner of Fond du Lac, WI.

Ruth was born on June 19, 1927 in Fond du Lac, WI. Following graduation from Fond du Lac High School in 1945, she attended Lawrence University in Appleton, WI before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she graduated in 1949 with a B.S. in Speech. She taught speech and English at schools in Plainview and Owatonna, MN, and at Washington Junior High School in Green Bay, WI.

Ruth married Thomas C. Ketcham in 1956 and they lived for many years in Allouez, WI where they raised three children. In addition to being a supportive and loving mother and wife, she was active in PEO Chapter AI, Service League, and Union Congregational United Church of Christ, Green Bay, WI. The family enjoyed spending time in northern Wisconsin camping, skiing, and sailing their boat “Gemini” on the Bay, along the coast of Door County, and in the beautiful North Channel in Canada.

Following her divorce, she returned to school and earned an Associate Degree in Marketing and Communications in 1986 from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). She leveraged her degree by working in sales and marketing at Thomas Friese Interiors in De Pere, WI. Ruth also traveled internationally to Germany, England, Norway, and Sweden, and loved sharing dramatic and humorous stories and photos of her travels, which endeared her to family and friends alike.

A Viewing and Funeral Service for Ruth will be held at Cotter Funeral Home, De Pere, WI on Aug. 11, 2025. The viewing will be from 10 – 11 a.m. and the service will be held from 11 a.m. to noon.

Memorial gifts may be sent to Cottey College or the PEO International Foundation earmarked for PEC Scholarship or Union Congregational United Church of Christ.