Ruth Guthrie ¹

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Obituary: The Republic: obituary of Ruth Beeker on 27 May 2018 in Columbus, Bartholomew, IN. ¹ St. Louis Crossing -- Ruth Beeker, 98, of St. Louis Crossing, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 10:45 p.m. at Millers Merry Manor, where she made it her home the last 3 1/2 years. She was born on March 7, 1920, west of Columbus on Georgetown Road to William and Alice Coles Guthrie. She was married to John Robert Beeker Sr. on March 7, 1938. He preceded her in death on November 13, 1989.

Ruth grew up in a large family and spent her earlier years on Georgetown Road. At one time they owned property on what is now Camp Atterbury. As a teenager the family moved to St. Louis Crossing where she met and fell in love with the man of her dreams, whom she married later, and they were together for 51 years. She was a hard worker in her early years. Besides raising her six children, she took in ironings, cleaned houses, worked in a canning factory, and was a strawberry field boss. On their farm they raised chickens and had cows. They had a large 1+ acre garden, where she would can and freeze the produce from it.

She loved the Lord and was active in her church. She was a charter member of The Chapel of the Good Shepherd. She had been a Sunday School teacher and secretary to the Ladies Aide that she helped get started.

She loved her large family and was always there for them. She was always making them things. She loved to crochet, needlepoint, made quilts, pictures, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. She loved to work puzzles and play Skip-Bo. She also enjoyed baking and cooking for her family. She loved singing "One Day At A Time." All you had to do was say "One…" and she would sing the song. She did that up until the day that she went home. If you would ask her "How are you Ruth?," she would reply, "fat and sassy." She was loved and surrounded by her very large family.

Survivors include her sons, John (Vi) Beeker of Hope and Dean (Bev) Beeker of St. Louis Crossing; daughters, Sue Christy of St. Louis Crossing, Linda (Gerald) Fowler of Hope, Judi (Garry) Christy of Hope, and Pat Bense of Columbus; grandchildren, Tony (Michele) Chirsty, Lisa (Kyle) Zollman, Lori (Terry) Embry, Scott (Brenda) Christy, Sherri (Kyle Howe) Fowler, Bobby Fowler, William Fowler, Lea Ann (Jeff) Spence, Jim (Wendy) Christy, Mike Bense, Steve Bense, John (BJ) Bense, Ron Beeker, Tim Beeker, Jonna Shepherd, Bob (Beth) Beeker, and Terri (Kevin) Young; 22 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant daughter, Bernice Joan; sisters, Esther Rogers, Alice Hoagland, Lizzie Ault, and Corda Kinney; brothers, Elmer, Roy, Fred, Glen, and Roy Guthrie; sons-in-law, Larry Christy and Jim Bense; grandson-in-law; and two great-granddaughters.

As her wish, her six children will be her pallbearers. She said "I brought you into this world, now you can all carry me out."

A funeral service will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Norman Funeral Home with Rev. Bill Tennyson officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Hope Moravian Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

Online condolences may be sent to the Beeker Family at www.normanfuneralhome.net.

Ruth married John Robert Beeker Sr., son of John G. Beeker and Mae Gonce, on 7 Mar 1938 in , , IN.¹ (John Robert Beeker Sr. was born on 1 Sep 1916 in Saint Louis Crossing, Bartholomew, IN,² died on 13 Nov 1989 in Columbus, Bartholomew, IN ² and was buried in Hope: Moravian Cemetery, Bartholomew, IN ².)