As the last surviving member of her loving family, Ruth Reid joined them in heaven on July 23, 2024, at the age of 92. She was preceded in death by her son Donald and her husband of 66 years, Tom Reid. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Bristow (Walter) of Lynchburg, Virginia, her son Ken Reid who raised his family and continues to live in Flagstaff, and her 15 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

Ruth Edna White Reid was born at home on December 15, 1931, to Edna Gay VanHorn White and Clyde Edward White. She had two older brothers and an older sister. She lived an impoverished life as the daughter of a farmer who never owned a farm but farmed the land of others. She and her three siblings regularly had to defend themselves from more wealthy kids who delighted in teasing them. But she said many times over the years, although her family had few material things, her home was filled with love. She never felt poor.

She moved several times in her youth when her father found work on different farms. Sometimes she worked with him on those farms. She was regularly responsible for milking their cow before school, keeping the pile of split wood for the wood stove at a certain height, mucking out stalls, helping make bales of hay, and many other jobs that fell to her after her two older brothers went off to war. A date with a young beau once got delayed when she hadn't finished her chores. He just had to wait!

One of the advantages of attending a one room schoolhouse was that she learned what kids in the higher grades were learning. She graduated from high school at age 16, the same year that her family got electricity in their home. She applied to college, without telling her parents, and was accepted. However, when her planned roommate showed up to meet her, Ruth was told she could not go. Her mom thought she was too young. So, she went to work at the Kresge Store. Her keen mind quickly had her promoted from a salesclerk to the bookkeeper for the entire store.

Shortly before her 18th birthday she met Tom Reid, a 23-year-old petroleum engineering graduate of Pennsylvania State University and within months was married to him. They had three children and built their home in Evansville, Indiana on a hilltop across from a lake where they swam in the summer and skated in the winter.

Ruth finally fulfilled her teenage dream and started college in 1962. In 1966 she graduated with her teaching degree from the University of Evansville. She began teaching elementary school while also keeping up with the ever-growing needs of her busy family. She then continued her studies and received her Master of Arts degree in 1969.

She and Tom were the volunteer youth leaders in their church for years and provided weekly Sunday night activities for youth from not only their church, but also the many friends that were invited by those youth. An overnight campout and hike through Mammoth Cave was a highlight.

Then the oilfields that Tom consulted on started drying up and it was time for a change. The family flew from Indiana to Seattle and then drove down the west coast with a side trip to Flagstaff, looking for where they would like to live. Flagstaff won the family's hearts. They sold their home and moved to Flagstaff in June 1970. Tom began work with the Forest Service.

They soon were involved in a new church. They volunteered at the nearby Flagstaff Food Center many evenings. Tom was the dishwasher while Ruth helped serve the meals. Over many years, Ruth also often reached out to those who needed help and read to those who needed companionship, visited with those who needed a listening ear, and helped get friends to medical appointments.

Ruth taught 4th grade at Weitzel Elementary, and she developed quite a following among parents and was an often requested teacher. She truly loved her students and she loved teaching. One year, shortly after the start of the school year, the school district realized there were too few fourth graders at Weitzel to keep three teachers at that grade level. She was asked to teach kindergarten at a different school. Her fourth-grade students sent a letter to the superintendent, with each child's signature, asking him to move kids from another school to Weitzel so Mrs. Reid could stay there. They didn't succeed. She returned a year later as the student population shifted and was delighted to be back.

Many times, as she went out to shop in her retired years, she would have a student come up and tell her about their lives since 4th grade. Parents too would let her know how their children were doing. She spoke about her students regularly until she died. She once wrote, "Nine years after retiring a former student gave me the greatest compliment - Mrs. Reid, you treated everyone alike and for some of us who had low self-esteem, you made us feel good about ourselves."

Tom and Ruth made regular trips to visit their children and grandchildren in the Pacific Northwest and enjoyed being close to Ken's nearby children. With the grandchildren, they hiked, camped, and enjoyed the great outdoors together. They enjoyed football games, marching band, and graduations. Barbara's kids enjoyed the special treats of donuts from Albertsons' bakery. Ken's kids enjoyed regular Kentucky Fried Chicken meals with Tom and Ruth.

Ruth had a well-developed sense of humor and often had a funny quip or two up her sleeve. She was a hard worker and a thoughtful friend. Her children and grandchildren loved her smile and her fun personality.

She loved to read, cheer on the Penn State Nittany Lions, watch "Stevie" Nash and the Suns while he played there, then later the Nets, and thrived on following political news. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren all could count on a card and check from her every Christmas and birthday ... and a big hug whenever they visited.

For years, Ruth embroidered quilting squares and made quilts for each of her children and grandchildren. What a treasure these quilts were as she generously gave of her time to create them, piece them, and have them quilted. They are treasured as a remembrance of her caring and loving.

As a devoted wife, she slept in a recliner beside Tom's hospital bed in their family room for nine months as his health declined. After his death in May 2016, Ruth continued to live alone in their home, with family visiting her as they could. Her son Ken visited frequently and helped her maintain her independence. His skills at the grill and in the kitchen kept Ruth delighted. Barbara came out regularly from Virginia and called her every night to help Ruth not feel too lonely. When asked how she was doing, Ruth would regularly reply, "not bad for an old lady!" During this time, the people from Comfort Keepers were well appreciated for their help.

In November 2022 Ruth had a fall in her home and went to the hospital where they also discovered she had Covid. After a few days in the hospital, she went to a rehabilitation facility for several weeks. She was failing rapidly and a doctor who saw her gave her a week to live. The decision was made to bring her home for Barbara, a nurse, to care for her while she received hospice care. She arrived home on her 91st birthday and had a small party.

She thrived upon returning home and lived for an additional 19+ months. Ken and Barbara enjoyed times at her home during these bonus months. Together they watched the birds, squirrels, and other animals at the feeders on her deck and had many fun conversations. Grandchildren and great grandchildren came from near and far away to check in on Grandma Reid.

Hospice caregivers, particularly Lena, Genevieve, and Maureen were so helpful during their regular visits. She became a favorite patient of her caregivers because of her humor and sweet manner. You never knew what she would come up with next.

Ruth enjoyed her dear friend Laureen Antes. They regularly exchanged cards, calls, and visits for years until shortly before Ruth died.

In the words of William Wordsworth in his poem on Immortality:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting

And cometh from afar;

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home.

Mom, enjoy your return Home. With love, the original Barbie and Ken.

There will be a private family service.