Ruth was born on July 18, 1923 in Carver County, Minnesota, to Otto and Ida (Grapentine) Heitkamp.  She is a descendant of William and Henriette (Grabenkamp) Pottschmidt.  He settled near Shakopee, Minnesota in October, 1857 where he started farming.  She is the oldest of 6 siblings (3 sisters and two brothers)  who helped work the farm.  She is proud to say that as late as the 1930s they did not have electricity on the farm and that they did their homework by candlelight. 

     She married Elmer MacNabb in 1942 and they settled in Belle Plaine and eventually moved to the Minneapolis area where they raised a family of 1 daughter and 2 sons. One of them is our current president, Richard MacNabb.  She is the grandmother of 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. 

     Ruth joined the Pioneers in 1983 and her husband Elmer soon joined her in 1986.  She was asked by Dr. John Arnold to come on the board in the late 1980's and she has served on the Board of Directors since.  She held the office of Assistant Treasurer.  Since she became a member, she worked tirelessly at the State Fair Log Cabin.  She became a very active member of the State Fair Committee in 1995, doing all the scheduling of the demonstrators for that 12 day period.  Also, as part of this committee, she has cleaned, dusted and helped set up the display at the Log Cabin.  She has donated cleaning supplies, artifacts, time and effort to the Pioneers.

     She has demonstrated dedication, loyalty, support and a true love of the Minnesota Territorial Pioneers and her family.  She is extremely proud of her ancestors and the part they played in the development of our Minnesota territorial history. We are honored and proud to award her the Pioneer of the Year for 2007.

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