Karen Ruml, 61 of Letcher, died Saturday October 29, 2005 at her home under hospice care. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Mitchell. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM at the Will Funeral Chapel with burial in Butler Cemetery, rural Letcher. Karen Gortmaker was born April 3, 1944 to John and Hazel (Gussler) Gortmaker, in Miller, SD. She attended school in St. Lawrence, SD. She worked for Coast to Coast in Mitchell, SD. On October 2, 1965, she married Lawrence Ruml of Letcher. For many years she worked on the farm. She also held various jobs outside the home. She worked at Dairy Queen, Brady Nursing Home and the Corn Palace Gift Shop, all in Mitchell. She also worked as a school cook in Letcher until her health forced her retirement in 2000. Karen spent many years being involved in many organizations. She was a member of the Letcher United Church of Christ and Womens Fellowship. She served as a Sunday School teacher and Bible School teacher. She also served on the Tri-County Health Board. Karens passion was 4-H. She served as a 4-H leader of the Butler Boosters for 40 years. During that time, she was especially involved in the dog project. She held and led dog classes for over 20 years, watching the project change and helping to implement those changes at the county level. She has received many awards for her contributions to 4-H. At the 2005 SD State Fair Karen was inducted into the South Dakota 4-H Hall of Fame. She received plaques at both the county and state levels for this honor. Karen also enjoyed her family very much. She especially enjoyed her four grandsons and tried to attend all of their events. She is survived by her husband, Lawrence Ruml, Letcher; three children, Kathy Zoss and husband, Fred, David and wife, Christie, Susie and husband, Josh DeLaRosa; four grandsons, Andrew, Dalen, Cody, and Eric, all of Letcher; two brothers, Louis (Mardella) Gortmaker, and Harlen (Jean) Gortmaker, all of Miller; six sisters, Violet Deuter, and husband, Dick, Rapid City, Lulu Bell Shuler and husband, Jack, Cody, Wyoming, Pearl Schlechter and husband Paul, of Polo, Shirley Sell and husband, Ed,of Miller, Anita Beaner and husband John, of Miller and Rosemary Goodall and husband, Lyle, of St. Lawrence, three sisters-in-law, Betty Gortmaker, of Rapid City, Lois Clarambeau, of Letcher and Verla Hoing and husband, Alvin, of Kimball, brother-in-law Robert and wife Shirley of Letcher, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by an infant son, Chad Eric, parents, three brothers, Jerry, Ben and Jack and infant sister, her mother and father in-law, a brother-in-law, six nephews and a niece. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.