Ruth Hirsch

Visitation: Thursday, October 29, 2009 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Family to receive friends: Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral Mass: Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City.

Rite of Committal: Custer County Cemetery.

Ruth Laura Hirsch, age 81, of Miles City passed away following a short illness on Monday, October 26, 2009.

Ruth was born in Miles City, Montana on November 26, 1927, the daughter of Ben and Esther (Bidwell) Toennis. She attended Kircher grade school, Sacred Heart Catholic School, and graduated from Custer County High School in the spring of 1945. Following her schooling, she worked for the First National Bank in Miles City. She then married Ted Hirsch on November 10, 1945 in Miles City, Montana. They made their home in the Yellowstone Valley where they farmed until 1948, when they moved to the SH Ranch on the Tongue River. They then purchased the home ranch on Moon Creek in 1963 where they farmed and ranched until the time of her death. Ruth was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cowbelles, and was a 4-H leader. She loved helping kids learn to sew and volunteered for numerous community organizations. She volunteered at the Moon Creek Elementary School and was involved in the adult literacy program in Miles City. She loved to dance, play piano and most of all spend time with her family.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 64 years, Ted Hirsch of Moon Creek; two sons, Wayne (Traci) Hirsch of Billings, MT and Les (Donna) Hirsch of Tongue River; three daughters: Pansy (Bill) Jone's of Kinsey, MT; Diane (John) Jone's of Moon Creek; and Gail (Kyle) Shaw of Tongue River; two brothers: Pat (Aggie) Toennis of Miles City, MT and Joe (Dot) Toennis of Phoenix, AZ; seventeen grandchildren: Corey (Janette) Jone's, Marcie (Jim) Niebur, Ryan (Nicky) Jone's, Reed (Shannon) Jone's, Lori (Tim) Blaede, Sara Hirsch, Heidi Hirsch, Ty (Val) Jone's, Stacey (Leal) Brimmer, Sydney (Adam) Dice, Jamie Hirsch and Darrell Hirsch (Mother Nancy Hirsch), Nathan Hirsch, Heather Hirsch, Kyla (Josh) Sanders, Jay (Edyna) Shaw, Kristi (Cedar) Jeffers, and twenty five great grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers and sisters-in-law: Alfred and Eunice Hirsch and Gertie Fisher of Miles City, Elmer and Marge Hirsch of Billings, and Martha Finch of Coeur D Alene, ID, Ruby and George Fields of Seattle, WA and Ruth Thomas of Clarkston, WA; and many wonderful nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers: Jim, Charles and Grant, and a sister, Mary.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the family lot of the Custer County Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.