Obituary of Ruth Carol Solecki

RUTH CAROL SOLECKI

ENTERED HEAVEN ON JUNE 16, 2020

 

Ruth was born on December 25, 1934, in Kankakee, Illinois to Artie Joseph and Marie Hazel Mills. She was one of ten children, eight girls and two boys. She was one of the four youngest Mills children all of whom were raised on their farm in a home her father built. Ruth is survived by her sisters Elizabeth, Eleanor and Jacqueline.

Ruth Mills married Leonard Solecki on August 30, 1958, at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Bourbonnais, Illinois. After their marriage they moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where their son Mark and daughter Ann Marie were born. They moved back to Bradley, Illinois in 1967. Ruth began her adult life as a homemaker raising her two small children until they were in grade school.

She started her career in the mid-seventies as a bank teller and continued in this career until her retirement. Ruth was very social loved the customer interaction at the bank. She lived in Illinois, Texas, Florida and eventually settled in Colorado in the early 1990's.

Ruth was a wonderful culmination of both of her parents most positive attributes. She possessed the resolve, strict discipline and hard work ethic of her German mother, yet had the social, happy, playful spirit of her Irish father. Ruth raised her children with a firm hand of discipline but quickly followed that up with love and forgiveness. Her friends and work associates loved her and she had many friends throughout her life.

Her true talent and love that surfaced in retirement was quilting. That by far was her favorite past time and she blessed many people with hand-sewn quilts over the years. When her hands were unable to continue quilting, she entered her “quillows” in many craft fairs and loved the attention this unique lap blanket produced. She was always focused on helping others in need and gave freely of her time and resources in acts of kindness.

When Leonard predeceased her in August, 2017, she was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's but true to her nature, she resolved herself to look for joy in every day and “thank the Good Lord that she was able to put her two feet on the floor each morning”. She never would feel sorry for herself and kept a joyful outlook on life until her passing. We praise God that He took her quickly, without suffering in her sleep to her eternal home. Heaven is blessed to have her!

She will forever be loved and we cherish the fact that she was chosen to be our mother. The same resolve, positive outlook on life, self-discipline and devotion to help others has been instilled in us and her spirit will live on in our lives. She is survived by her sisters mentioned above; her son, Mark; her grandson Matthew; her daughter, Ann Marie; son-in-law, Thomas and their children and grandchildren.