Ruth Reitan, age 77 of Bottineau, passed away on  Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at her home near Bottineau.  Her funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 2:00 pm at the First Lutheran Church in Bottineau.  Visitation will be Tuesday, starting at 1:00 pm with a prayer service starting at 6:00 pm at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.

Ruth was born March 4 ^th , 1946, at Hazen, a daughter of William and Esther (Kitzmann) Baier. She was raised and educated in Hazen, graduating from Hazen High School in 1964. She spent many of her young years working in her family's bakery. After high school, she attended Christie's Beauty School in Bismarck. On July 4 ^th , 1965, she moved to Bottineau to start her career of hairdressing at Dorane's Beauty Salon. She later moved over to working at Diane's Main Street Salon. On December 4 ^th , 1969, she married Larry Reitan of Bottineau. Their first child, Suzie, was born in 1970, and Norman was then born in 1971. The family then moved from town out to Larry's sister's farmstead along the highway in 1975. In 1984, the family was blessed with Jessica. Ruth was able to open her own salon, Ruth's Hair Salon in 1988, inside her home, where she continued to work until 2019. This is when she closed her 54-year chapter of doing hair where she spent her days doing what she loved with all her many beloved customers. She enjoyed spending time singing in the church choir along with playing the hand bells, reading, spending time at Thunder Mountain Speedway, crocheting, many travels to the east coast, and visiting with friends over a cup of coffee. Ruth loved watching her grandchildren at the hockey arena or on the cross-country field.

She is survived by her son, Norman & Beth Reitan and their children Griffin & Dessa of Bottineau; daughters, Suzie Cosco and her children Luca and Lorenzo of Whippany, New Jersey; and Jessica & Derek Buss and their children Maraleigh, Haley, & Jaycee of Minot; and nieces, nephews, & cousins near and far.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister Harriet, her brother Harold, and niece Sherry.

Memorials preferred to the Turtle Mountain Cancer Support.

Ruth's service will be livestreamed on First Lutheran Church's Facebook page.

Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.