Ruth’s Grandmother, Barbara Fetzer came to America on a ship at age 15, and lived with relatives in Rochester, New York. Franz Otto Wolff had come to America at age 18 to avoid service in the Prussian Army. He did stippling (painted borders around ceilings) and was an artist. Emma, Ruth’s Mother, was their first child. Barbara succombed to TB when Emma was 13, and her dying wish to Emma was that she never give up her Lutheran religion. She never did – and even waited until Ruth was 11 years old so she could be baptized in a Lutheran Church … going to church was a way of life no one questioned when Ruth was growing up …

During the depression, Ruth and her family lived in New York City for one year, but moved back to Florida because of Ruth’s health. Emma took in washing and ironing as Lowell got only part-time gardening jobs, and Ruth learned all about bluing, starching, ironing, etc. Emma wanted to be home with her children, and was always lo ving and gentle, but firm. She taught her children that if they made a promise – KEEP IT! And also, “Never judge anyone, because you don’t know why they act like they do.”

Ruth joined the Girl Scout troop at her church and earned her Golden Eaglet award. Some highlights were:

• Tasting Dr. Pepper when it first came out (while waiting tables at a church dinner.)
• Learning to embroider … can still make French knots!!
• Audubon trips to the Everglades …saw cranes, herons, etc., etc. Pink
• Flamingos were a delight!
• Camping trips to Key Biscayne before President Nixon made it a summer vacation home – huge turtles 100 yrs old; learning to swim in the Atlantic Ocean (warmed by the Gulf Stream), and floating over big waves that thrilled your tummy; campfires, ghost stories, and screams when a dog’s cold nose touches a girl’s arm, baking potatoes in the sand and trips to an old lighthouse and beautifully colored fish swimming under bridges.
• Camp scholarship to St. Augustine, Florida – Ruth played the part of King Neptune on closing day, only to step out of the boat into a hole and go “plop!”

English author, Beatrice Plumb (listed in “Who’s Who”) was Ruth’s Sunday School teacher, inspired her class with a desire for creative writing. Ruth has several articles and books she has written. Miss Plumb was Godmother to carol, Ruth’s daughter. Miss

Plumb married, but her husband died of Spinal Meningitis three weeks into their honeymoon.

Ruth worked after school for Burdine’s Department Store (Miami’s finest!) in their Personne l office. After her children  left home, she worked in offices of a medical laboratory , a steel import company (from Australia), and a septic tank company. But, it was when she was working at the7th Naval District Headquarters in Miami that she met her future husband – Maynard “Ken” Allmon, a U.S. Navy Chief Aviation Mechanic. He chose the name “Ken” after the famous movie cowboy, Ken Maynard. They were married on January 9, 1944 in Miami, Florida. After a tour of duty in Rhode Island, Carol

was born. Two years later, son, James was born in Coronado, San Diego, California, and lastly, son, Michael was born in Oakland, California (U.S. Naval Hospital). The Allmon Home was in Alameda, California. Ruth lived in the San Francisco Bay area until December 2001, when she moved to Temecula, California to be near her son.

In 1974, Ruth’s uncle left her an inheritance for the exact amount of two trips that her church professor was making – Lutherlands (Scandinavia and Germany – east and west) and the Holy Land, Venice, Greek Islands, and Egypt. Enjoyable memories fill her mind and heart to this day!

On May 19, 1989, Ruth married Taisto (Tye) Lehti – a Finnish Lutheran friend. They sort of eloped – while helping drive two cars to Las Vegas that were to be picked up by relatives of a Navajo boy that Ruth rented to. At the urging of the Indians, they found a lovely Lutheran Church, purchased two gold wedding rings from a pawn shop ($10.00/each), and the license and had a beautiful, meaningful wedding. Tye treated Ruth like a queen until his death in February 2002. Shortly, thereafter, Ruth had a hip replacement. After a short stay in a convalescent home and a care facility, Ruth moved to Wildomar Senior Assisted Living just five months after it opened. She is very happy here and has made some wonderful friends.