CHARLESTON, IL – Ruth P. Hay,
age 84 of Charleston, passed peacefully from this life at her Hilltop
Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation home on Thursday, March 6, 2014. The
Funeral Service honoring and celebrating her life will be held at 3:00
p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston
with Pastor Sharon Patton officiating. There will be no public
visitation. Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2014 in
the Lighthouse Cemetery located in Oregon, Illinois. It is requested
that thoughtful donations in her honor be made to the Wesley United
Methodist Youth Ministry. Gifts may be left on the memorial table at the
services or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Dr.,
Charleston, IL 61920.
Ruth was born on December 27, 1929 in
Colome, South Dakota to the late H. Oliver and Jessie B. (Zumbaugh)
Porter. She spent her formative years on a farm near Plymouth, Indiana
and received her Bachelors Degree from Manchester College located in
North Manchester, Indiana. She married R. Gerald Hay in August of 1949
and spent the next 42 years in the Chicago area as a parent, teacher and
Extension Youth Adviser for the University of Illinois in Southern Cook
County. She is survived by her five children: a daughter, Rebecca
(Becky) Schwartz and husband Bob of Charleston; 4 sons, Gerald Hay and
wife Deborah of Keaau, Hawaii, Gordon Hay of Tucson, Arizona, Grant Hay
of Arthur, Illinois and Gerson Hay and wife Carlene also of Keaau; 8
grandchildren Terina Coffey, Valerie Staggs, Scott Schwartz, Jared Hay,
Grant Hay, Krystal Nicholls, Alex Hay and James Hay; and 10
great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents she was preceded in
death by her husband who passed away on November 12, 1978.
In 1998
Ruth retired to Charleston to be near her daughter and family. She soon
made Charleston her home and volunteered her time at Lincoln Log Cabin,
was actively involved with the League of Women Voters and was a member
of the Home Extension Association. She was a woman of faith and a
devoted member of Wesley United Methodist Church and was actively
involved with its Shawl Ministry, Retirees and Compassion Ministry and
assisted with the Kid’s Club. Ruth enjoyed creating a warm and inviting
home which she loved sharing with the family and friends who will dearly
miss her presence in their lives.
Ruth’s memorial website is
available at www.adamsfuneralchapel.com where condolences may be sent to
the family by clicking on obituaries.
To leave condolences
online, visit www.jg-tc.com, click on obituaries, select the
individual’s name and click on “Comments” to log in.
Jasone's Bed & Breakfast in Marion was the location for a recent meeting of Southern Region IEAFCS retirees. Carol Schlitt, Martha Speir, Janet Burnett, Joyce Pyatt, Ruby Lingle, and Joy Richey enjoyed lunch and a very interesting talk.
Thanks to Sharon Kuhns for sending this information. I believe Ruth was a youth adviser for many years. Some of you may remember her.