Ruth Stricker of Deephaven, Minn., founder of The Marsh, A Center for Balance and Fitness in Minnetonka and an industry icon and pioneer in mind-body work, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2020.
Connected in love and gratitude for her immeasurable contributions over the course of a remarkable life, Ruth’s family, friends and professional colleagues around the world honor this visionary of the health and wellness industry. She integrated Eastern and Western practices in her personal and professional life; her philosophy offered a “liberal arts approach to health.”
In Ruth’s words, “The resiliency of the human spirit makes it possible for us to find a sense of well-being in our lives…that our challenge is to be emotionally resilient and physically healthy to handle change and stress.” Ruth believed “health and fitness are not the chief goal in life but rather the potential to be good citizens of the Earth.”
She gave of her energy and resources to diverse local and national organizations, including her alma mater Macalester College, the International Spa Association, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, the University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), and many other causes that spoke to her.
Ruth was preceded in death by her beloved husband Bruce B. Dayton, and her parents Eleanor and Peter DeBeer, and she is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Kim and Bob Griffin; grandchildren Grace and Jack; son Mark Stricker; brother and sister-in-law Paul and Kathleen DeBeer; former spouse David Stricker; and her ever-faithful yellow lab, Beau.
A gathering to celebrate Ruth’s wonderful life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation on her behalf to Interfaith Outreach (iocp.org) or the Lupus Foundation of America (lupus.org).
