Ruth Anita Femali

Ruth Anita Femali, nee Austin
Beloved wife of Frank Femali; Devoted mother of Anita (late Steve) Reinke, Frank V. (Donna) Femali, Ruthanne (Michael) Reiter and Roberta (Zachary) Wallerstedt; Loving daughter of the late William and Marie Austin; Dear sister of the late William (late Martha) Austin and the late Robert (late Dolores) Austin; Dear grandmother of Jack (Kristen) Reinke, Nathan Reinke, Sarah (Kevin) Femali-Weck, Leah (Chris) Krol, Audrey (Mason) Borlik, Jacqueline (Travis) Hills, Austin (Melissa Puthenmona) Wallerstedt and Kiersten (Ryan Lay) Wallerstedt; Loving and Joyful great grandmother of 15; Dear aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Ruth Femali passed away peacefully on August 26th in the comfort of her home surrounded by
her family. She was born in 1930 in Oak Park, Illinois to William and Marie Austin. Married in
1950 to her high school sweetheart, Frank Femali, she raised four children with love and
devotion in Hillside, Illinois; where she was raised. There she was involved in her children’s
school and served on the Board of Education.
As a child Ruth loved sports, especially golf, which she played and excelled at for over 80 years.
She was a club champion at Elmhurst Country Club and Medinah Country Club, and is a member
of the Illinois Women’s Golf Association’s (IWGA) Hall of Fame. She was dedicated to the
advancement of women in the game of golf including volunteering at hundreds of tournaments.
As wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother she showed her enthusiasm and
encouragement, while being present at recitals, school programs, games, and all our
milestones. While quality of time is important, she gave quantity too.
Ruth was also a political activist at the local, state and national levels. She loved reading about
history and understood her own family’s role within history. She loved this country and
believed its greatest promise played a central role in her family’s success.
Ruth was funny, smart, creative, compassionate and determined to make things better for
others; whether she was serving on the school board, an IWGA committee, a golf league
committee, an HOA board, or as an election judge. She was true to her values and an
inspiration to many who saw her dedicate her time to those things she held dearest to her
heart. She handled everything life handed her with dignity and never blinked. Her love and
support for her family was truly unconditional.
Ruth gave generously throughout her life to the International Crane Foundation and the Illinois
Women’s Golf Association (IWGA). We welcome you to make a donation in her memory.