We say goodbye to our wonderful 100 year old mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, cousin, wife, daughter, and friend. Ruth Maurer Barth was born to Rudolf and Ella (Keller) Maurer on February 26, 1925 in Monroe, Wisconsin. She died on August 4, 2025 in the home she shared for many years with son Christopher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ruth graduated Monroe High School in 1942, attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and graduated UW-Madison with a Journalism major. She travelled west, living in Seattle, San Francisco and Tucson. Returning to Monroe, she started her reporting career with the Monroe Times.

She married Raymond Barth in Monroe in 1950. The two of them traveled extensively. They lived in Washington, DC, and Madras (now Chennai), India, eventually settling back in Monroe. They had three children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

About Monroe, Ruth said “[Ray and I] agreed early on that we’d return from Washington and our foreign service to raise our children and establish our photography and journalism endeavors here.” Ruth was very involved in the Monroe community including as an active member and former President of BID. She also continued to report for the Monroe Times as well as the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee-area papers.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Raymond Barth, grandson Raymond James Foran, brother Rudolf E. Maurer, sister-in-law Evelyn Due Maurer, mother Ella and father Rudolf. She has left an indelible mark on those surviving her: her son Christopher Barth, daughter Barbara (Chad) Czarkowski, and daughter Nicola (John) Foran; grandchildren Alexis (Randy) Stier, Peter Czarkowski, Natalie (Bard) Meier and Eric Foran; great grandson Henry Stier; nieces Gretchen (Gene) Cropp and Jane Maurer; and dearest friend Diana Vance.

A private graveside service will be held in Monroe.