Ruth Ann Lorang, age 86, of Lismore, died Thursday June 4, 2026, at Parkview Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth. Ruth was born Dec. 10, 1939, in Adrian Minn., to Louis P and Ida M (Ruffing) Hendel. She was raised on the Hendel farm north of Adrian with her five siblings and educated in St. Adrian Catholic School where she graduated as class valedictorian.
Ruth had a knack for numbers and found her niche at Adrian State Bank and later in the State Bank of Lismore where she retired in 2004 after 26 years of service.
Ruth met the playful, dashing young airman and future husband Marvin Lorang at the Ritz Ballroom in Lismore as the story goes. She was organized, he was fun – they needed each other. They were united in marriage on Aug. 10, 1963, in Adrian Minn.
The newlyweds experienced city life in Minneapolis for a time while Marv was in technical school but eventually decided to return to their hometown roots and start a family. They made their home and raised their family in Lismore. In time they welcomed five children to their little hobby farm on the edge of town.
Always a farm girl Ruth had a gift for making a little go a long way. The family grew and raised much of their own food and were resourceful do-it-yourselfers. She was a talented cook, seamstress, home remodeler and so much more. Ruth relished physical work and found great satisfaction in jobs like mowing, pulling weeds and even washing windows.
She was the rare person whose checkbook was balanced every month – to the penny. Her careful management and frugality allowed the Lorangs to put five kids through college while both working on main street Lismore. Ruth encouraged education and curiosity in her kids and would often dig out her dictionary, encyclopedia or atlas so they could learn something new.
The common thread of Ruth’s life was service, service to family, to friends, to the St. Anthony Church community, to the village of Lismore and to the customers of the bank who she was known to greet with a big warm smile. Amid all of her other responsibilities she made time to manage the care and affairs of many elderly family members over the years.
She was active in many organizations including the Catholic Daughters, Catholic Council of Women and American Legion Auxiliary. She took special joy in serving as a church cantor for many years at St Anthony.
Ruth was the one quietly working to make things happen, often unseen. She would remind her kids to “think of the next guy”, “do something for the community” and “do one good deed every day”. Her family felt that Ruth was like Martha in the Bible – if Jesus ever came to the house it would be Ruth who made the sandwiches and washed the dishes.
Ruth is survived by her five children: Thomas (Molly) Lorang of Morton Minn., Kevin (Yigliola) Lorang of Minneapolis Minn., Susan (Todd) Roerig of Sioux City, Iowa, Lynn (Shawn) Dearey of Durango Colo., and Jean (Ivan) Vargas of Dell Rapids, S.D.; twelve grandchildren: Kaitlyn (Chad) Maddock, Keegan Lorang, John Lorang, Noah Roerig, Grace Roerig, Caleb Dearey, Asha Dearey, Owen Vargas, Lucy Vargas, Phoebe Vargas, Hazel Vargas and Milo Vargas; one sister Joan Wolf of Clara City Minn.; sisters-in-law Phyllis Hendel of Sioux Falls, S.D. and Judy Hendel of Luverne, Minn.; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Marvin Lorang on Nov. 11, 2016; grandchildren Isaac John Roerig and Mary Cecelia Vargas; siblings and their spouses Madonna and Lyle Healy, Jim Hendel, Bob Hendel, Leo and Joni Hendel; in-laws Roman Wolf, Davey Lee and Irma Lorang.
Visitation was from 4-7 p.m. Monday, June 8, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Lismore; and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Funeral mass was 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Anthony Catholic Church, in Lismore, officiated by Monsignor Richard Colletti. Burial was in the St. Anthony Cemetery.
Dingmann Funeral Home, in Adrian, is in charge of arrangements.
