Ruth Marie Conaway was born March 19, 1922 in Greenwood, AR to Lee and Elsie (Hearn) Kurtz. Ruth spent her childhood in and around Greenwood and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1941. Upon graduating, she met and later married Durden Looper on June 13, 1942. Ruth and Durden had one child, Virginia Ruth. Durden was a 2nd lieutenant in the Army/ Air Force and was killed in action in Hiroshima, Japan on Aug. 6, 1945. Ruth and Virginia moved back to Greenwood, AR to be near family where Ruth eventually met Joe Conaway. They were married on February, 4 1949 and had a daughter, Joannah. The family moved to Bledsoe, TX in 1954 where Ruth began to work toward her degree at Eastern New Mexico University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education degree in 1961 and the family moved to Pagosa Springs, Co where Ruth taught school and Joe was an administrator. In 1963, once again, the family picked up and moved to Montrose, Co. where Ruth taught Jr. High School. Joe passed away in 1965 and Ruth, determined to make a way for she and her daughters, went back to school to obtain a Masters Degree. She graduated from Adams State in 1967 with a Masters of Arts degree. In 1970 Ruth was offered a job in Colorado Springs, Co at Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School where she taught and was the beloved school librarian until she retired in 1982. Ruth could not sit still for long and she started her own sewing business out of her home. Ruth welcomed clients into her home for over 30 years and many of them became wonderful friends. She enjoyed traveling and took several international trips and cruises. Ruth moved to Flagstaff, AZ in 2013 to be near her daughter, Virginia. Ruth was raised as a Southern Baptist and was a Christian from the time of her youth. Her Lord and Savior called Ruth home on January 25, 2015 and she was surrounded by her daughter Virginia (Ginger) and family. Ruth was a strong, determined woman who lived independently until she was 90 years young. Ruth had a kind spirt and was a true inspiration to all she met. She will be dearly missed but will live on in our hearts.

Ruth is survived by her daughter Virginia Mallett of Flagstaff, AZ and by her four grandchildren and their families, Michelle Mallett of Flagstaff, AZ, Russ Mallett of Grand Junction, Co, Jane Hill Schmitt of Cedar Rapids, IA and Chris Hill of Riverton, UT. Her son-in-law Lew Hill resides in Belgrade, MT. Ruth is also survived by seven great grandchildren and has one surviving sister, Irene Gillam of Greenwood, AR. She also has extended family in Arkansas.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Elsie Lee Ulmer and brother George, two husbands and her daughter Joannah.

Memorial services for Ruth will be Friday, March 13, 2015 at 10:00am at the Broadmoor Community Church on Lake Ave. in Colorado Springs, CO. with Dr. Jim Chapman officiating.