Ruth Louise (Mattfeld) Stoeffler

Ruth Louise Stoeffler gracefully and peacefully left this earth on Monday, September 27th at home following a short illness. Ruth embraced life and all it brought, the accomplishments, the hard work, the adventures, beauty, and challenges. Ruth was a grateful person every day and lived in the present. She operated in one speed - full on. She was born to John C. and Amelia Mattfeld on October 27, 1924, in Williamsburg, Iowa. As the fourth of six children, Ruth did her childhood duties without complaint, she walked to the two-room schoolhouse where her father was the head schoolmaster. She moved to Chicago for nurses training where she met a young navy recruit named Ulysses "Les" Stoeffler. In July 1947 Ruth and Les were married in Chicago and moved to Kalamazoo for Les' career in the paper industry. Ruth raised four children and pursued her nursing career. Ruth and Les enjoyed the Symphony, The Civic and The Barn Theater and were very involved in their church. Les and Ruth attended every home Michigan football game, tailgates included. After Les passed in 1994, Ruth branched out to new activities. She traveled to Greece, Turkey, The Holy Land, Italy, China, and Germany. She learned to ride a bike and joined a biking group. Always the active person, she walked miles with friends and biked the Kal-Haven Trail to South Haven with family. At 80 Ruth finished her second half marathon and continued to walk WMU homecoming 5Ks after that. Ruth became a proud WMU Bronco at age 83 when she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in History, enjoying all the activities of a college student. Ruth loved to garden, read, follow Big Ten sports, and play cards. Ruth was a cat mom, most recently to Harry. Mostly Ruth loved to be a part of any activity which included her family and attended her children and grandchildren's sports and plays. Ruth was a crossword puzzle master, an ace at Yahtzee and spent countless hours at the jigsaw puzzle table. Ruth is survived by her children: Pam, Amy (Ralph Lauterbach), Wendy (Jeff Hutchison) and Matt (Edie Linton). Her grandchildren Allison and Jackson Stoeffler. Ruth is also survived by her sister Mary Mattfeld, brother and sister-in-law Victor and Marlene Stoeffler and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Please consider a donation in her name to Meals on Wheels (Senior Services of Southwest Michigan). The family would like to acknowledge and thank the amazing staff of Brookdale Portage Assisted Living for their kindness, warmth, and heartfelt care. Visitation will be on Thursday, September 30th from 4-7 p.m. at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services, 3926 S 9th St, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Services will be on Friday, October 1st at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 2122 Bronson Blvd, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. To view Ruth's personalized web page, please visit https://www.langelands.com