Ruth Omdahl

To view a recording of Ruth's memorial service, visit the Hope Church website or click the following link: https://youtu.be/Y_jLiDeDE3w

Ruth Omdahl, age 89 of Grand Forks went home suddenly to her beloved Lord & Savior Jesus on November 6, 2023.

Ruth Evangeline was born May 23, 1934 in Park River, ND to Troy and Violet Jones as the youngest of 5 siblings. Her family lived in Conway, Argyle, Grafton, and Warren.  Ruth graduated as her high school’s Valedictorian in 1952.  She attended UND and married her Conway grade school friend Lloyd in 1953.  The marriage lasted 70 years.  Ruth worked as an Admin until the couple moved to Bismarck in 1954 where they attended First Baptist Church and had three children (Scott, 1957; Becky, 1958; Nancy 1966).  Ruth served as school room mother at Northridge Elementary.  She excelled at homemaking, sewing, and craft projects.

The Omdahls moved to Grand Forks in 1967 and joined Grace Baptist Church where Ruth was active in various church circles, Bible studies and service roles such as leading crafts for vacation bible school.  Ruth was a long-time member of Women’s Aglow Fellowship.  She loved flowers and nurtured many floral gardens over the years.  Her flower beds were a stop on annual Garden Club tours.  Ruth designed and constructed a multi-tiered flower garden at their home in Bismarck 1989. She worked for various florists in Grand Forks and enjoyed arranging flowers.  As partner in Northland Naturals, Ruth created dried floral arrangements which she and Lloyd sold at craft fairs.  Ruth greatly enjoyed a visit to The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC.

Ruth and Lloyd relocated to Bismarck a couple times for his ND state roles.  She proudly represented ND as the wife of a government official.  Ruth particularly enjoyed the 1989 ND Centennial Celebration as wife of the Lieutenant Governor.  She joined Lloyd on official trips to NYC, the US Virgin Islands, and Taiwan.

Ruth loved to serve others, especially by cooking for family and friends.  Her home was affectionately known as “Ruth’s House of Food”.  She was an accomplished hostess for parties of all kinds.

Ruth spent her last years in a memory care facility.

Ruth is survived by husband Lloyd Omdahl (Grand Forks, ND), son Scott Omdahl (Fort Collins, CO), daughter Becky Omdahl (Falcon Heights, MN) and grandchildren Jeremy Mote (Smyrna, GA) and Andrew Mote (Athens, GA).

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, sister Margaret Line, brothers Donald Jones, Robert Jones and Richard Jones.  Daughter Nancy Omdahl died in 2022.

Memorial services will be 1:30 PM Saturday December 2, 2023 at Hope Church, Grand Forks, ND. Visitation will be for the hour before the service in the church.