She was born on February 2, 1917 to Edward and Lena (Stobb) Kruger in the Town of Wheaten, Chippewa County near Albertville, Wisconsin. Ricka married Enos Lane on May 15, 1935. He died in 1968. She married George Kersten in October 1973, and he also preceded her in death, in 1980. Ricka worked as a tire builder for Uniroyal Tire Company and in the Dietary Department at Sacred Heart Hospital. She was a longtime member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church where she was the church greeter for many years and enjoyed quilting for World Relief. She also enjoyed knitting and making her krumkaka for family and friends.
Survivors include three daughters, Delia (Chartrand) Beekman of Oconto, WI, Elizabeth Lane of Walton, IA, and Orva (Gary) Hegg of Olympia, WA; a brother-in-law, Ernest (Eva) Lane of Eau Claire; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, Emil, Walter, Rudolph, Albert, and Fredrick; five sisters, Lena, Myrtle, Olga, Matilda, and Dorothy.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 2, 2000 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Fall Creek, with Pastor Larry Borgelt officiating. Burial was in Lakeview Cemetery, Eau Claire. Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home in Eau Claire handled arrangements.